THE DOVE AND THE SERPENT.

In which is conteined a large description of all such points and principles, as tend either to Conuersation, or Ne­gotiation.

Tuta velis; Tutus eris.

LONDON Printed by. T. C. for Laurence L' [...]sle, dwelling at the Tygre's head in S. Pauls Church-yard. 1614.

The subiect of euery seuerall Chapter contained in this Booke.

  • Chap. 1. OF Secrecie; the meanes to attaine vnto it; the benefites it bringeth; the inconueniencies, which ensue the contrarie.
  • Chap. 2. Of the sinowes of Wisedome, wise distrust, and slow­nesse of beleefe.
  • Chap. 3. Of the wisedome of behauiour in generall.
  • Chap. 4. How a man is to carrie himselfe towards those, on whom he hath dependencie.
  • Chap. 5. How to conuerse in Court, and of the meanes where­by to purchase fauour, and stand secure from the many dan­gers, which are there incident to all.
  • Chap. 6. Of the manner how to conuerse with strangers in forraine regions, whereby to profit himselfe, and benefit his Countrie.
  • Chap. 7. Whether a man in the performance of imployments; vpon hope of doing better, may digresse from the directions of him that doth imploy him: wherein the Negatiue is main­tained.
  • Chap. 8. What kinde of literature and knowledge is required to the enabling of a man for the vndergoing of any businesse, and the effecting of it with successe.
[...]

THE EPISTLE.

Vertue delights in those alone, whose goodnesse is the truest parallell to their greatnesse. Her ambition hunts not after popular applause. Inuictam esse oportet manum, quae Coelum condat: The garland, which is to crowne her worth, must not be framed or formed by any vulgar and illiterate hands: A weaker pencill, then that of Apelles, is not al­lowed to limme her Beauties forth; nor a lesse skilfull hand then had Lysippus, to graue in Brasse the comelinesse of her Proportion. Hence Sir it is, that I, her meanest Ser­uant, doe heere offer vp these my labours particularly to you, and indeed to none but such as you: ‘Quos manibus proprijs finxit cordata Minerua;’ From whose iudicious Censure, whatsoeuer approbation they receiue, I shall account my gaine. I haue beene taught long since, that ‘Principibus viris placuisse non vltima laus est;’ And therefore with the Satyrist,

Non ego cùm scribo, si fortè quid aptius exit,
Quando haec rara avis est, si quid tamen aptius exit,
Laudari motuam: Ne (que) enim mihi cornea fibra est.
Say that by chance, when I propound to write,
Some prettie thing, that's pleasing, I endite,
Though it be rare to see such Birds on wing;
Yet were I Author of some such like thing,
To reape what praise is due I would not scorne:
My Bosome's made of softer stuffe then Horne.

So without further interrupting your more serious imployments, I rest, with all due reuerence,

Your Worships, D. T.

Prooemium.

THat vnaduised Rhetorician, whose iudgement being so ouersway'd with selfe-conceite, as that he durst most arrogantly presume, in presence of one of the grea­test Commaunders, and best experienced Captaines, that those times afforded, with many tedious and friuolous Discourses to determine the office and dutie of a Generall, was recompenced, as he deserued, with a disdainefull smile: which being accompanied with these words, that had those things beene handled by a Swallowe, hee would haue done the like; but if by an Eagle, haue lent them the best attenti­on that he could, did more manifestly make knowne, how much he had distasted his ouerdaring weakenesse. And in­deed I may seeme at first in many mens iudgements wor­thy the like censure and reprehension: but all things right­ly considered, I hope I shall easily auoyde it. For though the course I take seeme somewhat preposterous in regard of that of the sacred Vestalls, who first learned what they were to doe; secondly, did what they had learned; and last of all instructed others: yet is it answerable to that of the Pythagorians, who after three yeeres of silent contem­plation, were permitted to entermeddle with publike acti­ons, and to reduce their long conceiued speculations, in­to practise. Now therefore with the Poet,

— Fungar vice Cotis,
Horat: de arte Poët.
acutum
Reddere quae ferrum valet, exsors ipsa secandi;
Munus & officium faciens nil, ipse docebo,
Quid deceat, quid non; quò virtus, quò ferat error:
[...]

for whose safer Conuoy, hee hath engaged his fidelity. Hee shall meete with many Pyrats, that will striue to boord him, not so much for the Vessell, as the burden; and this they will be maisters of, or their liues shall pay the forfeiture of their miscarrying: But the Tongue is the Sterne of this great Caracke, which whosoeuer hath the skill to guide, may easily disappoint them in their aymes.

It was the manner of those ancient Champions, which by the Greekes were called Pancratiastae, to stand, being summoned to fight, with their armes lift vp on high, fortifying as with a Trench, their head and mouth, with their opposed hands; and setling them­selues in a readynes, before the beginning of the com­bat, either to put by the blowes of their Antagon [...]sts, or make them feele the heauy waight of theirs. In the like posture should the minde of a wise man be, against the ryotous and wanton violence of iniurious persons; Erecta esse debet, ardua, septa, solida, expedita, nunquàm connivens, nusquàm aciem suam flecters; but continually producing Counsailes and aduise, against the Batteries and Assaults of the deceitfull, against the snares and treacheries of the vniust, as the onely armes and hands, whereby to repell their force, and secure himselfe from being suddenly surprized. He must be like those my­sticall creatures in Ezechiell, full of Eyes, (that is) ex­ceeding vigilant, and circumspect in his proceedings: But aboue all, hee must put a bridle in his mouth, and curbe his tongue, from being too extrauagant.

Sp [...]ech is the onely Character, by which a man expresseth himselfe vnto the life; A Picture sheweth vs but his outward lineaments, but in this, the nature and qualitie of his minde is oftentimes decyphered to the full.

Laudibus arguitur vini vinosus Homerus.

And hence no doubt, came that of Socrates. Lo­quere, [Page 3] vt te vi [...]eam. That Noble man, which came in­to the Painters shoppe, drew by his outward presence all due obseruance, & respect, euen from the Maister; but when he began to speake, the boyes brake forth in laughter at his weakenesse; And indeed, by nothing better then her note, can we distinguish the Bird.

It is said of Geese, that, when at the change of sea­sons, they passe from Cilicia, ouer the mountaine Tau­rus which abounds with Eagles: they carry stones in their bills, for feare their crie should discouer them to their enemies. Reason should teach vs that, which Nature hath instructed them; but alas, it is a thing of greater difficultie then so. For it is not possible that a­ny man should moderate his tongue, who hath not first of all tamed his affections.

The sonne of Croesus was dumbe euen from his birth, yet when the Souldier had aduanced his sword to cut the threed of his fathers life, the violence of his passion remoou'd the impediment of his speech, and he cried out, O stay thy hand, It is the King thou hast at that aduan­tage; This which through naturall loue was caused in him, hath very oftē by the disordered & irregular mo­tions of the Minde, bin wrought in others. Philotas by his ambitious vaunts, and windie ostentations, made a broade passage to his own confusion. Sampson, by dal­lying too much with his Dalilah, betrayde his life and safety to the Philistims: And Claudius, Tac: Annal: Lib: 12. by vēting forth a word in his distemperature, gaue Agrippina warning to hasten his destruction. I will not stand to amplifie this point with any more particulars, but (in a word) ad­uise thee, whosoeuer thou art, that shalt thrust thy selfe abroad into the day, so to compose thy inward minde, that thy outward carriage may continually be calme and quiet. For thence it is, that all the parts and mem­bers of our bodie haue their stormie motions; ‘Hunc igitur fraenis, hunc tu compesce Catena:’

If this be setled once, the Tongue cannot miscarrie. We may obserue in Homer, that such as are commen­ded by him for their wisedome, are likewise saide to bee most sparing of their speech: Hee makes Vlysses after his returne, to giue his sonne this charge;

If thou be mine, & from my bloud deriu'd,
Odyss
Let none perceiue Vlysses is arriu'd:
Let not Laertes, nor Eumaeus knowe it,
Nor vnto any of my Seruants showe it, &c.

And to speake truth, it is impossible, according to that saying of Demaratus. A foole should hold his peace. Plutar. de Audit. So that Spintharus did not meanely commend Epaminondas, when he said, He nere had entercourse with any in all his life, that knew so much, and spake so little as he did. It is requisite therefore that they, which take vpon them the performance of any publike office, should first bend their endeuours to the attayning of Concealement; For without this, ‘Li [...]tora bobus arant, & arenis pemina mandant;’ They can neither be profitable to themselues, nor ser­uiceable to others.

Lib. [...]. [...]. An open mouth, sayeth Plutarke) serues the Maister to no other vse, then doth a house with­out a doore, or a purse without a string. Hee must not in any wise be like that place in the City of Olympias, which for the often resounding of one and the selfe­same voyce, by reason of diuers and sundry refle­ctions in it, was not without iust, and due conside­ration surnamed Heptaphonos. For howsoeuer it be a very difficult thing to restrain the tongue from intem­perancie in this kinde, and that many men are of such a temper, that they could with greater patience en­dure to carry burning coales in their brests, then [...]e­crets; Whereupon it often-times falls out, that those things which are whispered in the eare, are presently after published in the market; yet is there no excuse [Page 5] wherewith to colour such a defect in one of publike place. For besides an imputation of weakenesse which he brings thereby vpon himselfe, he doth first of all controll the very purpose and intent of Nature, who to shew vs the vnrulinesse of the tongue, and with what strictnesse it is to be obserued, hath as it were impriso­ned it in the mouth; chain'd it with sinowes to the throate; wall'd it about with gummes; hedg'd it in on euery side with teeth; and for feare it might any way breake forth, shut it vp closely with the lips, as with a two-leau'd gate, so that his iudgement, and discretion, which haue the charge and custodie thereof, cannot but be liable to Censure, if it make escape.

Secondly, he doth digresse from Reason, which confirmes vnto vs euery moment by infinite examples, That the safetie of the tongue is the tree of life; and hee which preserueth it, according to that of the wise man, Ag [...]opir quabit Spirit [...]i.

Thirdly, Hor. Carm. lib. 3. Od. 2. he maketh himselfe thereby an enemy to all Societie;

— vetabo qui C [...]reris sacrum
Vulgarit arcanae, sub ijsdem
Si [...] trabibus; fragil [...]m (que) mecum
Soluat f [...]elum —

sayth the Poet; And in an other place he giueth euery one this caution: ‘Percun [...]ator [...]m fugito; nam garruius idem est.’

Fourthly, he doth breake and violate the lawes of Nations. Amongst the Persians, Lingua magis castiga­batur, sayth Q. Curtius, quàm vli [...]m probrum; Q. Curt. lib. 4. the tongue was more seuerely punished then any crime: nec mag­nam rem magis sustine [...]i potuisse crediderunt ab eo cuitacere graue esset, quod facil [...]im [...]m volu [...]it esse Natura; yea, they disabled him, from euer hauing the managing of any waightie charge, that had not in him the power of Concealement: and by this discipline they preuailed so farre, that neither feare nor hope, could euer drawe from them the least knowledge of that, which was not [Page 6] to be knowne: witnesse Alexander, who notwithstan­ding the [...]ligent enquities, and industrious searches which he made after the plots and proiects of Darius, could neuer learne the course of his proceedings. A­mongst the Egyptians likewise, it was a capitall offence. A Virgin in the Temple of Isis, was defloured by a Priest, Diodor. Sic. who hauing for the better compassing of his lustfull desires, relyed vpon the secrecie of a third, was by him betrayed vnto the Magistrate, who pronoun­ced the sentence of death against the malefactors, and branded him, for the hyre of his falsehood, with an in­famous and shamefull banishment. And in other king­domes where this was neuer punisht as a fault, the contrary hath still beene honoured and rewarded as a Vertue. Est & fideli tuta silentio Merces.

Dionysius gaue straight commaundement, the head of Brias, one of the Gentlemen of his Chamber, should be cut off, for telling Plato, who had demaunded of him what the Tyrant did, That he had stripped himself by reason of the heate, and was painting in a Table. So that last of all, he makes a blot of his owne Securi­tie, and hazards vpon the vncertaine chances of the Dice, his dearest safetie.

Vipers are torne in sunder with the bringing forth of their young; and secret words issuing out of the mouth, bring with them the vtter ruine and subuersi­on of those that reuealed them: It is an oracle vttered vnto vs by the mouth of Wisedome, Prouerb. 13 verse 3. That he which keepeth his mouth, keepeth his life: And indeede it is as true as tride — Non tacuisse nocet, nocet esse locutum; according to the saying of that good Simonides.

Amongst other Hieroglyphikes, by which the E­gyptians did shadow Silence forth, they made the Quince-tree one, whose fruite hath the proportion of the heart, and whose leafe is fashioned like the tongue of man: to signifie thereby vnto vs, that Speech which [Page 7] is the fruite as it were of the Vnderstanding, should be perpetually fastened vnto that, and not to this. Yea, the spirit of Truth enformeth vs, that he which hath knowledge, spareth his words; but the mouth of a foole is his owne destruction, and his lips are a snare for his soule. Wherefore he that is familiarly acquain­ted with his owne infirmities, and findeth in himselfe this [...], this talkatiue intemperan­cie, let him stand aloofe, and not rashly vndertake any waightie, or important charge; but salute it at a safe and fearlesse distāce, as young Hyppolitus did the God­desse Venus, or his presumptuous ouer-weening, will haue a tragicall Catastrophe.

The times are dangerous and deceitfull in which we liue. The World affoords vs almost nothing now, which is not personated and disguised. Amongst men there are many, — Qui fronte politi, Pers: Sat: 5. ‘Astutam vapido seruant sub pectore Vuloem.’

They haue honie in their mouthes, but a Razour at their girdles; and as the Comike saith,

Composita dicta pectore euolvunt suo,
Quae cum comp [...]nas dicta factis discrepant.
Plaut.

In a word, the Owle hath learnd to counterfaite the Nigh­tingale: and Sathan that hee may the better worke vp­on a weake beliefe, hath fashioned his Tongue to the Dialect of Angels. Simolicitie lyeth speechlesse, and Vpright-dealing is ready to giue vp the Ghost; the Bell hath oftentimes rung out for them; by reason wherof, D [...]ssimulation hath long since entered vpon their Pos­sessions; and like a cunning Vsurper, enthron'd her­selfe within the hearts and mindes of fraile Mortalitie; So that fewe are left, and those not easily to be dis­cerned, which are not as the Poet saith, ‘Introrsum turpes, speciosi pell [...] decora.’

Euery man is now become a Sydonian, and hath his Baal to himselfe: whilst he that is the GOD of Gods, [Page 8] of power and Maiestie so infinite, that (as th' Aegyptians caused to bee written on their Temple Gates) hee is, Hermes. Po [...]m: 5. [...]. Whatsoeuer hat [...] beene, is or shall bee, is made the subiect of his Hellish laughter. [...]u [...]l [...]ci [...]ie, Rom. 11. vers. [...]6. and Gaine, are almost in as great esteeme a­mongst vs, as Vertue and Honour were amongst the an­cient [...]omanes, their Temples are alike contriu'd; It is impossible to come vnto the last, but by the former: And hence proceedeth that of the Satyrist:

Iuuenal. Sat. 13.
Quae tam festa dies, vt cesset prodere furem,
Perfidiam, fraudes, at (que) omni ex crimine lucrum
Quaesitum, & partos gladio, vel pixide nummos.
No day so holie, but it still bewrayes
Thefts, guiles, deceits, and treacherous assayes:
Goods lewdly got, by Crimes, and vile offences,
By murthers, poysonings, and vnchast pretences.

It i [...] true, that in a mans owne priuate businesses, hee may assume what libertie he please; but in those things which concerne a third, he must be very wa [...]ie how hee doth proceede. Icaru [...] to satisfie his daring minde, may freely (peraduenture) & without controul­ment, soare aboue the strength of his waxen wings, as long as the disastrous euent of his presumption, exten­deth it selfe no farther, then the compasse of his owne graue: But Phaeton, must of necessitie bee blamed, if wilfully and vnaduisedly, hee vndergoe a taske, the weake performance whereof, brings nothing but confusion to himselfe, and others. And this is that our SAVIOVR CHRIST so ofte inculcated to his Disciples, when bidding them beware of men, he com­mended vnto them the Wi [...]edome of the Serpent, in re­gard of his Church; but the Innoce [...]ci [...] and Sim [...]l [...]ie of Doues, in regard of themselues. It behooueth eue­ry [Page 9] one therefore to take heede, how, and to whom he o­pen himself at any time, for feare he falsifie the trust which is reposed in him, and by so doing endanger all.

Let him imitate that Graecian of former times, who be­ing told that his breath did smell, Answered, It was by reason of the many Secrets, which had a long while laine rotting, and putrifying within him.

Let his Bosome be like the Lyons denne in the Apologue; towards the mouth whereof, the Prints and prickings of sundrie sorts of Beasts might easily be discerned, Sed nulla retrorsum, but from thence none at all.

Let him alwayes talke with Harpocrates, at the signe of the Finger on the Mouth; and learne of Anacharsis, that the Tongue hath neede of a more strong restraint then Na­ture.

Let him not be too curious with them of Bethshemesh, 1. Sam. 6. vers. 19. 2. King: 20. vers. 13. in the search of other mens Secrets, nor yet too careles with Hezekiah, in the discouery of his owne. Moralitie giueth him a prohibition for the one, and a precept for the other.

Arcanum ne (que) tu scrutaberis vllius vnquàm;
Commissum (que) teges, & vino tortus, & irâ.
Hor: Epist. 18. lib. 1.

And indeed it is a profanation of dutie, to publish any thing we should not. Those things therefore which are to be concealed, let him conceale them, — vt Curia Martis Athenis; as close as either Silence or Darknes will affoord him meanes to keepe them both from Eye and Eare: for the better effecting whereof, there is necessarily required in him a Wise distrust, and flownesse of Beliefe, wherewith his brest must so equally be ballanced, that he may sted­dily run on, without suffering shipwracke in such a doubt­full and dangerous Course.

[...]

vnto our Sauiour Christ with a deceitfull and captious in­terrogatorie, prayses of whose mouths are witch­crafts: of those are thes [...]. Th [...] Poet al­ludes vnto thē. Si vltra pla­citum laudâ­rit, baccare frontem cin­gite ne v [...] ­ti noceat ma­la lingua fu­turo. Virg. Ecl. 7. Iohn 3. verse 26. and sayd vnto him, Maister, Maister, thin­king that he perceiuing himselfe so honoured and respe­cted by them, might simply peradventure, and without mistrust, discouer and reueale vnto them the secrets of his heart: but alas! they mistooke their aime, they missed their marke. He that intuitiuely knew all things, did like­wise know their salutation to be nothing else, but a mis­chieuous and treacherous insinuation; and therfore how­soeuer he accepted of the like titles from the mouth of his Disciples; yet heere the text sayth of him, That he stouped downe, and with his finger wrote vpon the ground; to shew, that he was not delighted with their vanitie, and that he knew the scope and drift of their intent. Howso­euer there are many so weake of vnderstanding, that mea­suring others by their owne simplicitie, they suffer both Discourse and Iudgement to be subdued by outward cir­cumstance, and led in triumph by the formall apparance of deluding Sycophants. Yea the wisest, if neuer so little Iouially disposed, can hardly keepe themselues from nib­ling at this bait. Men for the most part are like the Pea­cocke, of which the Poet writes;

Laudatas ostendit avis Iunonia pennas;
Si tacitus spectes illa recondit opes;
Her praysed plumes great Iunôs bird spreads forth,
But view'd with silence, she conceales her worth:

Such as haue any sense at all, are sensible in this; there is no Stoike but desireth it, no Cynike but delighteth in it. But they that shall consider with themselues, that Esops Fox did not praise the Crow, but to beguile him of his preye, will peraduenture be warie, how they be transpor­ted and led away with such vaine perswasions. There is in speeches of this nature a certaine sweetnesse, Lib. 18. Epist. 106. quae irrepit & blanditur, & non aliter, quàm ebrietas, aut amor secreta prodit, [Page 13] saith Seneca, which hauing stolne into the heart, doth with a tickling kind of motion so please and sooth it, that no o­therwise then Loue or Wine, it causeth it to vent the most retired Secrets: but Wisedome prescribeth vs an anti­dote, and biddeth vs stop our Eares against the Charmes and incantations of such Sirens, and not suffer our selues to be like Pitchers, led vp and downe by the sinister adu­lations of such double and clouen-hearted Parasites, that like cunning Anglers doe draw vs on to swallow downe the bait, that in the end they may hang vs on the hooke.

There are others, that by enforcing an imaginarie sup­position, endeuour to extort a truth; and this as it is v­sually practised, so is it seldome vneffected: prouided al­wayes the thing obiected be a matter of more conse­quence, and such as would redound, if iustified, with scandall to the partie that should reporte it. For feeling himselfe so vrged, hee will instantly, to cleare himselfe of the greater imputation, not stick peraduenture to confesse the lesser. But these may easily be preuented, if wee can keepe our selues from falling into passion, and seeme but lightly touched with their obiections.

There are some againe, Plin. lib. 1. Epist. 5. that on the suddaine and vna­wares, doe set vpon a man, and with some shorte, and vn­expected question labour to surprize him: These, howso­euer they seeldome make a full and perfect discouery of what they looke for, yet hauing driuen him as it were, by this meanes to a stand, Ita intimos mentis affe­ctus proditor vultus enun­ciat, vt in spe­culo fronti­um imago extat animo­rum. Plin. Sec. they thinke they may easily (as by obseruing the manner of his reply, by noting the priuate and subtile motions of his countenance, and the fashions of his behauiour) collect some probability of their surmi­ses; which done, they bend all their practise to some o­ther forme, and cease not their pursuite, till they be mai­sters of the game: But the onely meanes to delude their expectation, is eyther to slight their question; to expo­stulate their opinion; to answere little, & what they least looke for; or in some cases not to answere at all; but by [Page 14] way of opposition, and compensation to confront their interrogatories and demands, with others of the like na­ture: As our Sauiour CHRIST did in the Gospell, when the high Priests and Elders of the people came vnto him, and asked him by what authoritie he did those things, and from whence hee had the power to doe them; Tell mee, (saith he) the Baptisme of Iohn, Math. 21. vers. 24: Is it of heauen, or of men? and with this Dilemma, this two-edged argument, hee cut the throate of their inquisitiuenesse. There is another exam­ple of the like nature, expressed by the Poet in the diffe­rence betweene Damoetas and Menalcas: the one saith,

Virgil. Eclog. 3.
Dic quibus in terris, & eris mihi magnus Apollo,
Tres pateat Coeli spatium non amplius vlnas.

And the other, not able (it may be) to expound his riddle, or at least not willing, requiteth him with the like:

Dic quibus in terris inscripti nomina Regum
Nascantur flores, & Phyllida solus habeto.

And this is a iust and lawfull retribution, and nothing else then to giue our aduersarie the foyle at his owne weapon.

To be briefe, there are some that will not let to in­stance many feined matters on themselues, by way of o­stentation, or vpon others by way of approbation, that they may drawe from their auditorie a true confession of the like. Of these we must take heede, and withall, be di­ligently carefull, that they worke not vpon our weaknes­ses, and disaduantages; or make vs the subiect of such ex­periments. And that we may the better secure our selues from them, we must know it is their vsuall practise, when they meete with any so firmely setled in their disposition that they cannot leade them; so close and priuate in their desires, that they cannot winne them; so furnished with rules and principles of wise preuention, that they cannot [Page 15] awe them; to fasten vpon their friends, factions and de­pendences, or others that are interested in them, and so gouerne them; And hence proceeded that of Sampson, Iudges 14. verse 19. Had ye not ploughed with my heifer, yee had not found out my riddle. Wherefore it is good, neuer to impart our mindes, but where it much importeth; and in matters of any moment to be alwayes doubtfull of the worst. Euripides. For as the Poet sayth,

[...]
[...]:
[...]. Epichar.
Then wise distrust there is not any thing,
To mortall men that can more profit bring.

But if it be grounded vpon vaine imaginations and sur­mises, it is either an argument of weakenesse, or of base­nesse, and who so vseth it, must of necessitie be thought a traitour to humane Societie. For as to beleeue all things is childish, so to beleeue nothing is meerely brutish. Be­sides, Multi fallere docuerunt, dum timent falli; saith Seneca. It is therefore requisite in Ciuill policie, and no way de­rogating, as I take it, from the rules and precepts of Mora­litie, euen in matters where there is greatest cause of diffi­dence, especially if the parties be such as otherwise de­serue respect, so to disguise his feares and iealousies, Frontem a­periat, men­tem tegat. Cic. pro Cn. Plan. that the discouerie may neither proue offensiue vnto them, nor hurtfull to himselfe. There is no Argus, but, notwith­standing his wakefull obseruation, shall finde a Mercurie to delude him. They that are free and liberall of their dis­course, are often-times the most secure from danger, if they erre not in the choyce of their subiect; whereas these Saturnines that stand continually vpon their watch and ward, and speake not but with Pythagoricall suspension, giue publike notice to the world, that there is some-what in their keeping, which they would not willingly lose; and by this meanes whet and sharpen the wits of the more curious sort against themselues, that in the end they cannot but be made the spoyle and prey of their Inuen­tions: [Page 16] And with this agreeth that worthy speech of the Philosophers, [...] Ep [...]. [...]9. lib. 9. Multi aperta transeunt, condita & obstrusa ri­ma [...]r: f [...]m signata sollicitant; vile videtur quicquid patet; aperta effractarius praeteri [...]: hos mores habet populus, hos imperi­tissmu [...] quisque, in secreta irrumpere cupit. But I will slide from hence to that which doth remaine, as loth to tor­ture the Reader with prolixitie, or giue him occasion to distaste the rest through loathed satietie.

CHAP. III. Of the wisedome of Behauiour in generall.

THe wisedome which is required in one of publike imployment, is either wise­dome of behauiour, or wisedome of negoti­ation; which in a word is nothing but the Doue, and the Serpent. For as concerning the first; he must be kinde and courteous towards all men; full of mildnesse and affabilitie in his discourse; full of sobrietie, and appliable demeanour in his conuersation. The minde of a wise man is by the mouth of Salomon compared to a glasse, Prou. 27. verse 19. in which the formes and Characters of all diuersitie of Natures, and of all varietie of Customes are represented: so that hence I conclude with the Poet, that, Qui sapit innumer [...] moribus aptus erit. He will not like a Cato fashion himselfe to none; nor like a Catiline conforme himselfe to all: the one fa­uoureth exceedingly of wickednesse, the other somewhat too much of wilfulnesse.

Est modus in rebus, sunt certi denique fines,
Horat. lib. 1. Sat. 1.
Quos vltrà citràque neo [...]it consistere rectum.

He will therefore out of his owne discretion so leuell forth his carriage, that it may hold a certaine specious [Page 17] kinde of correspondencie with most, and not giue by rea­son of distance, or disproportion, occasion of offence to a­ny: with some actually & indeede; with othersome appa­rantly, & with relation onely to Societie. For this, howsoe­uer we dislike the vneuennesse of mens proceedings, must alwayes be preserued and kept vnviolated.

He must not disapproue of whatsoeuer is not bounded with the circumference of his owne opinion, or tendeth not to the same Center: nor giue his iudgement vpon a­ny thing, though he be neuer so well able to decide it, but with Apologies, and Cautions; to the intent that such as are in conference with him may haue no cause, either to enuy his knowledge, or blush at their owne ignorance.

He must not like Aesops Asse grow proud and insolent of his employments, nor thinke the better of himselfe because of his burthen: but entertaine such priuate gra­ces and fauors as are showne him, with a setled modestie: & neuer publish them, but with an abasement of his owne merit, ascribing all such accidents, more to the authors fa­cilitie, or his owne externall felicitie, then to any skill or vertue that is inherent.

He must auoyde all windie ostentation, which by the force of Selfe-Conceite, may be drawne from any suruey he hath taken of his owne worthinesse. It is an vnseemely thing for any man to be the trumpet of his owne sufficien­cie: and whosoeuer it is that striues to bee both Homer and Achilles; Virgil and Aeneas; he doth but manifest his owne weaknesse, and want of wit. For his actions (if a­ny thing be in him) will in time proue sufficient blazoners of his worth. Let vs but rightly cast vp our accounts, & we shall streightway finde, that wee can neuer speake of our selues but with some preiudice: Our proper taxations are receiued still as setled truthes: but the commendations which wee giue our owne deseruings, cannot escape the censure of Misbeliefe. Plin: Epist: 8. lib. 1. Besides, quod magnificum referente alio fuisset, ipso qui gesserat, (saith Plinie) recensente vanescit: [...] [Page 20] little Oare, we still dig further on in hope of more, flatte­ring our expectation with this conceit, that surely so small a quantitie was not alone, and impute the not attaining it, to nothing else but our owne vnhappinesse. It will not therefore, I take it, be much amisse for any one to aduan­tage himselfe, so often as he seeth occasion, by the vse and practise of this principle.

In contracts of loue and amitie, I could aduise euery man to be alwayes mindfull of that of Martial,

Lib. 12. Epigr. 34.
Si vitare velis acerbu quaedam,
Et tristes animi cauere morsus,
Nulli te facias nimis sodalem;
Gaudebis minus & minus dolebis.
Who list not taste of bitter discontent,
But the sad bitings of the minde preuent,
Caesar, è duo­bus consula­tus comperi­toribus, Lu­ceium sibi adiunxit, pactus vt is, quoniam in­ferior gratia esset, pecunia­que polleret, nummos de suo communi nomine per centurias pronuncia­ret. Sueton. Iul. distinct. 19.
Must make himselfe too fellow-like with none;
Lesse cause hee'l haue to grieue, lesse cause to mone.

Or at least that he make choyce of none to be familiarly acquainted with him, but such as are honest and vertuous; of such as may delight him in their conuersation, by rea­son of a neerenesse in manners, and a likenesse in affecti­ons; or last of all, of such as are able to help him in the ma­naging of his affaires, by their discreet and prouident di­rections, or furnish him if neede require, with supplyes of an other nature, for the better furtherance of his procee­dings. For this indeede is that same three-fold base, on which, as Plutarke sayth, all friendship must be rays'd, or it will quickly faile.

There are some, that in the sunny vp-spring of our for­tunes are with the Swallow still at hand, and ready as it were to doe vs all the seruiceable offices they can: but when the winter of our happinesse doth once approach, behold, they suddainly vanish, and grow strangers to vs [Page 21] in our greatest neede. Some againe, as indeed, ‘Tuta, frequensque via est, per amicifallere nomen,’ that will not stick to protest their pure and singular affe­ction towards vs, when the scope of all their aimes is one­ly to deceiue vs. The Aegyptians in their hieroglyphikes were wont to shadow these forth by the Pye, which is white before, but black behinde. And in truth, as Triphon the Grammarian sayd, [...], Mendacium in extrema parte nigres­cit. Whatso­euer is counterfait, and adulterate, though it eye vs with neuer so faire a face, if we marke it well, we shall finde it black alwayes towards the tayle. That precept therefore of Pythagoras deserues our approbation, by which he war­neth vs, [...], not to admit a black-tayld hypocrite into our friendship. Lastly, there are others so voyd of all ciuilitie, so destitute of all humanitie, that out of a vile and slauish disposition, the better to preuent their associates, neighbours, and allyes, from presuming any thing vpon their kindnesse, are not ashamed to giue out, That the onely way to haue a friend, is to make no vse of him; intending it should seeme, like churlish Na­bals, to taste of no mans cup themselues, because they would haue no man to taste of theirs: but these are vtter­ly to be contemned and despised, as the detested out­casts of Societie. For as the Poet sayth of riches,

Quò mihi diuitiae, si non conceditur vti?
With wealthie summes of gold what should I doo,
Vnlesse I might both haue, and vse them too?

I likewise say of this.

To conclude, he must be carefull, that as his speech is eloquent, his vtterance be likewise pleasing and amiable. Mercurie cannot well be separated from the Graces, nor they from him, but the musicall consent of ciuill Conuer­sation will fall out to be very harsh and discordant. A­boue all, he must indeauour that his words and counte­nance may seeme like parallell lines deriued equally from one Center, that the reseruednesse of the last may not de­stroy [Page 22] the credit of the former, and make good meaning liable to misconstruction. In a word, he must in all things be free from affectation. There is nothing more vndecent in a man, then an ouercurious obseruance of decencie. To intend the fashioning of an externall carriage & beha­uiour so much, as to let it passe into affectation, is euen by the shallowest vnderstandings condemned as ridiculous, and accepted of all men (to the great disabling of his suf­ficiencie that vseth it) as a most euident argument and proofe of weakenesse and indiscretion. Wherefore let him auoide all singularitie, both in action, gesture, and discourse, and so compose and gouerne himselfe in all such points as appertaine to conuersation; that conside­ring his care and circumspection in declining from what­soeuer is incongruous and absurd, that which that Saty­rist sayd of Ianus, may deseruedly be pronounced of him.

Pers. Satyr. 1.
O Iane, à tergo, quem nulla Ciconia pinsit,
Nec manus auriculas imitata est mobilis albas,
Nec linguae, quantum sitiat Canis Apula, tantum.

All such occasions being farre remooued, as might any way betray his credit, to the traducements of a vulgar and illiterate laughter. Lastly,

Hor. Epist. 18. lib. 1.
Non sua laudabit studia, aut aliena reprendet:
Nec cum venari volet ille, poëmata panget.
His proper courses he shall ne're commend,
Nor by reproouing other mens offend:
Ne when his friend by hunting sport would finde,
Shall he incline to Poëtrie his minde.

Vespasian got the ill will of Nero by sleeping at his mu­sicall recreations; whereas Pamphilus had the loue of all by obseruing the former.

Terent. in Andr.
Sic vita erat, saith his father, sacilè omnes perferre ac pati
Cum quibuscunque erat vnà, ijs sese dedere,
Eorum obsequi studijs, advorsus nemini
Nunquam praeponens se alijs —:

and hence he cōcludes, [Page 23] that whosoeuer shal carry himself in the like kind, facillimè ‘Sine invidia inveniat laudem, & amicos paret.’

CHAP. IIII. How a man is to carrie himselfe towards those, on whom he hath any dependencie.

WHosoeuer hee be that dependeth not entirely vpon himselfe, but hath refe­rence in his fortunes to some of no­bler ranke, from whom hee hopes, by doing him all the offices of a dutifull and faithfull seruant, to drawe some meanes where-with to raise the low-built roofe of his estate; let him first of all, that he may the better instate himselfe within his grace and fauour, to whom he standeth so deuoted, and as I may say, get ground of his affections, obserue his nature and disposi­tion; and when he hath discouered and found out his humours and his inclinations, endeuour, so they be not vitious and dishonest (for I would not that he should like Tigellinus, as Tacitus reporteth, Tacit. An­nal. lib. 14. principem societate scelerum obstringere, seeke to endeare his Maister to himselfe by ta­king part in his vnbounded dissolutions) by fulfilling them, to giue him the best contentment and satisfaction that possibly he may.

Let him neuer absent himselfe long from about his per­son, but continually be at hand, and in fight; yea, let him feigne occasions of accesse, rather then want them, that so by entertaining a familiar kinde of priuacie with him, hee may (by little and little) winde, and as it were serue him­selfe through his externall shew of diligence into his best affections. Further, let him be very carefull neuer to ap­proach [Page 24] his presence, Quāta glo­ria sit, nego­tium aliquod celeriter con­ficere, ostēdit nobis trium verborū ille titulus, quem Pontico tri­umpho Caesar praetulit. VENI. VIDI. VICI. Suet. Iul. 37 but with a plausible and cheerefull countenance; and at all times shew a speciall alacritie in the ready embracing of his will and commaundements. Let him as the childe of Obedience, and the friend of Serui­tude, be continually ready to vndergoe vpon the least sum­mons, what charge soeuer shalbe imposed vpon him, and afterwards effect it, with such quicknes and celeritie, that if in the managing thereof, his cunning and sufficiencie be neuer noted, his expedition may.

Plaut. in Aulular.
Herile imperium ediscat, vt quod frons velit oculi sciant;
Quod iubeat, citis quadrigis citius properet exequi.

Let him not bee like Phoebus his Crowe, which hauing bin sent by him in haste for water to the running springs, lighted vpō a tree which was full of figges, but so greene, they could not well be gathered, and therfore as the Poet relateth it,

Immemor Imperij sedisse sub arbore fertur,
Ouid. Fast. 2
Dum fierent tardâ dulcia poma morâ.

Not remembring his charge, loytered there till the fruite was ripe. Gen. 15. vers. 11. Gen. 24. vers. 33. Nor yet like Noah's, which forgetting his im­ployment, busied it selfe amongst the putrified and rotten carkases of the ceasing Deluge. Abraham will driue these from him; hee cannot endure their sight: his seruants are principled so well, that they will taste no meate till they haue deliuered their Message.

This practise is erroneous, & such as ma­ny times re­doūdeth with exceeding dis­aduantage to the authors of the same. For it is avouched by an Oracle of diuine wise­dome, That he which sendeth any weighty messages, by such as are of weaker capa­citie, cutteth off the feete, & drinketh dāmage. Pro. 26. vers. 6. Tacit: hi­stor: lib. 2.It is the nature of many in choyce of Instruments, to select for their owne vse and purpose, men of a plainer sorte, and such as without searching into the depth and qualitie of their designes, are able to doe what euer is en­ioyned them, & when the businesse is dispatched, returne (without adding, or subtracting anie thing whereby to grace themselues) a true & faithful relation of the successe. [Page 25] He must not therefore be like Otho [...] soldiers, qui iussa du­cum interpretari, quàm exequimalebant; who tooke delight to comment vpon the directions of their Leaders, rather then performe them: but without enquiring after the na­ture and scope of his intent, or searching on what reasons, motiues, & inducements it is grounded, borne as it were Daed [...]lijs rem [...]g [...], as the Comike saith, vpon the wings of Daed [...]lus, cut through the midst of all opposed interrupti­ons and encumbrances whatsoeuer.

He must not alwaies discouer the full extent, and length of his reache, but in some cases, caqu [...] scit, [...]esc [...]t seeme ignorant of what hee well conceiues especially when he seeth his Patron is desirous to haue them so closely carry­ed, that none may be acquainted with the substance, but himselfe, and vseth him but only as an instrument of bet­ter conueyance. When Tiberius with darke and doubtfull speeches (as his māner was) did stil reiect the Empire from himselfe, Patribus, saith Tacitus, Annal: lib: 2. vnus metus ne intelligere vi­derentur; the Senators were afraid of nothing more, then that he should perceiue they vnderstood him.

Passion doth often-times misleade the wisest, and ma­keth them resolue in their distemperature vpon the prose­cution of many enterprises and attempts, which were they followed and archieued, could not but blacke and soyle the fairenesse of their reputation. Now here it is the du­tie of a faithfull and trusty seruant, howsoeuer hee come by the knowledge of such vnripe determinations, whe­ther by his owne discouery, or his Maisters imparting, to oppose, and diuert him as much as may be from engaging himselfe in such proceedings, by letting him see the ha­zards and in conueniēces, that may follow therevpon: and this be must doe, not by precept, but example; not po­sitiuely, but by implication; and by bringing him in, as Nathan did the Prophet Dauid, as a iudge, 2. Sam. c. 12. to censure his own error in the person of a third; for feare an honest con­tradiction should be reiected as a consoriall taxation.

Such as are eleuated in estates, and aduanced aboue the pitch of ordinary men, to places of dignitie and pro­motion, can not endure to be controld in any thing. Re­proofes are harsh to them, and cleane against the haire. Whosoeuer therefore would reforme them, he must not take the neerer way, but the safer, which is indeede by circumstance, by bouts, and windings. For to come blunt­ly and directly to the point, might peraduenture inferre suspicion of contempt, and want of due respect towards their person, in him that doth it, whereby their minds may be exasperated and incensed against him; whereas by fetching a little compasse, and by cōdemning their head­strong and vnbridled courses, or commending the con­trary, in others, not seeming to glance at any time at what is done by them, he may discharge his duty without feare of danger. Plin. Sec. lib. 3. Epist. 18. Praecipere qualis esse debeat princeps, pulchrum qui­dem, sed onerosum, ac prope superbum est: laudare verò optimum Principem, ac per hoc posteris, velut è specula lumen, quod sequan­tur ostendere idem vtilitatis habet, arrogantiae nihil. It is a meanes whereby impatient Patients are oftentimes most happily recouered without cauterizing or incision. But if this softer opposition can worke within them no impres­sion, let loue and dutifull regard embolden him against displeasure; and rather then they should perish through their owne wilfulnesse, let him confront them in a more open manner. Feri, sed tamen audi; Strike me, but yet heare me, sayd Themistocles to one of Lacedaemon, and so must he to them. His libertie of speech in this, cannot but receiue from them in colder blood, a charitable and good con­struction, and such as may answere the lawfulnesse of his intent and meaning; prouided alwayes, that some apolo­geticall excuse tending to mitigation, doe either goe be­fore, or follow after; informing them aright, that the boldnesse of his reproofes and dehortations, proceeded from no other ground, then from a dutious and obser­uant care he had of their securitie. For otherwise he hazar­deth [Page 27] himselfe vpon the very instant, and that vainely, without any good effect at all. Q. Curt. lib. 1. Witnesse Charidemus the Athenian, whom Darius impatient of all truth, comman­ded for his honest counsaile to be slaine. Witnesse also Calisthenes, whom Aristotle, tutor to Alexander the great, Plutar. in Alex. was wont to reprehend and admonish for his vnseaso­nable freedome in this kinde towards his Soueraigne, pre­saging as it were vnto him the tragicall euent, which shortly after followed thereupon, by this verse of Homer;

[...].
Iliad. lib. 18.
Forbeare my sonne such round-spun talke to haue,
Or it will bring thee to a suddaine graue.

Witnesse likewise S. Iohn the Baptist, and blessed Stephen, Matt. 14. verse 4. Act. 7. verse 51. with diuers others, to whom the like was alike disastrous; though indeed I taxe it not in them as a deficiencie; for what they spake, was by the influence and inspiration of the holy Ghost. I onely quote them as apparant prece­dents of those butcherous and tragicall Catastrophes, that ensue such plainnesse.

In matters that are intricate and ambiguous, and where­in his counsaile and aduise is asked, let him be wary how he doth proceed. For to vtter it as a Maxime, or position, whereby to equall the conceit and opinion of his Patron; or by way of Comparison, whereby to weaken and dis­able it, would peraduenture proue distastefull, and beget dislike. In the dissoluing therefore of such knots, and doubts, let him abate and qualifie the strength and vigor of his iudgement, with prudent limitations and cautions, and worke him, so he know it assuredly to be best, to a gentle acceptation of it, not by direct expression, but slye insinuation. For as Cobaris the Mede aduised Bessus, Seruo vtilius est parere dicto, quàm afferre consilium, quum illos, Q. Curt. lib. 7. qui pareant, idem quod caeteros maneat, qui verò suadeant, proprium periculum.

Last of all, though he may shew himselfe desirous of imployment, and thinke it an honour likewise to be im­ployd, [Page 28] yet must he not in any case voluntarily and of him­selfe make proffer of his seruice to him: for this were but to question his authoritie, and doubt the power which he hath to command him. Aboue all, let him first in regard of himselfe, beware he doe not thrust and obtrude it on him, for feare acceptance should be thought a sufficient requitall. Secondly, that he obserue a gradation in the discouerie of his abilities, and abstaine from doing too much at once, for feare least what is well done might not be throughly apprehended. Thirdly, that he feele not too soone the reward of his vertue, whether it be in commen­dation, honour, fauour, or applause: for if he seeme con­tented with a penie, it will be thought a prodigall and su­perfluous thing to giue him a pound. Men shape and fa­shion their liberalities according to the minds and expe­ctations of those, on whom they doe bestow them. Let him take heed therefore that by seeming pleased with a little, he giue them not occasion to suspect, he was neuer vsed to more. Lastly, that he doe not thrust himselfe with­out difference (whereby to publish and proclaime his owne deficiencies) into those imployments, for which he is not proper:

Iuvenal. Sat. 11. lib. 4.
— nec enim loricam poscit Achillis
Thersites, in quase traducebat Vlysses.

It is not for a weaker then Milo to beare an Oxe, nor a lesser then Atlas to vnderprop the heauens. For accor­ding to that of the other Satyrist,

Nauem si poscat sibi peronatus arator
Luciferi rudis, exclamet Melicerta perisse
Frontem de rebus — Pers. Sat. 5.
If for a Ship the hob-naild clowne should call,
Which had no knowledge in the Starres at all,
Great Melicerta streight wayes would exclame,
That earthly things were quite depriu'd of shame.

Dauid refused the Armour of Saul, because he felt it cumbersome, and chose that weapon to encounter his e­nemie withall which best became his strength and educa­tion. They therefore which finde themselues oppressed and ouercharged with a burthen,

Abijciant potius, quàm quò perferre iubentur,
Hor. lib. 1. Epist. 13.
Cli [...]ellas stulti impingant, Asinaeque paternum
Cognomen vertant in risum, & fabula fiant.

CHAP. V. How to conuerse in Court, and of the meanes whereby to purchase fauour, and stand secure from the manie dan­gers which are there in­cident to anie.

THe Courte (saith one) is like a raging and tempestuous Sea: Guarini, nelle lette. their onely difference is this, that he which saileth well in the one, and he that doth ill in the other, arriueth in the end with safety to his wisht-for Ha­uen. That which is else-where honoured as a Vertue, is hated heere (saith he) as a defect. Sinceri­tie is cleane excluded from amongst them, and simple Pu­ritie is had in no esteeme. To speake without feyning, to loue without flattering, are counted arguments of a base and sluggish disposition. But let vs imagine that this being vttered farre beyond the Alpes was meant but onely to the Florentine, and comming neerer home, consider a [Page 30] while the words of Aretine, to Francis King of France, con­cerning certaine Cardinalls and Bishops that did attend his Louvre. Vorrei (saith he) che la bugia campeggiasse nella mia bocca come fà la verità in quella del Clero. O that a lye could stumble in my mouth, as truth it selfe doth in the mouth of the Cleargie. Now where the salte is so vnsa­uory, how can any thing be seasoned? Yet here with vs, if either imitation or patternes of Gods diuine and exem­plary goodnesse had any power to reframe the mindes of men, wee should not neede to be afraide of such enormi­ties. We haue a Soueraigne, that groundeth not the reue­nues of his Crowne vpon the teares and sighes of the op­pressed. Hee hates that gardener worse then Alexander, that cutteth his hearbs vp by the roote; Plutarch. in Alex: Sueton: in Tibe: and with Tiberius, Tondere mavult pecus quàm degl [...]bere. His wisedome in the placing of his fauours and liberalities, exempteth him from the number of those weaker Princes, whom Crates likened vnto figtrees that grewe vppon some craggy and rocky clifts, whose fruite none can approach, or taste of, but one­ly Kites and Rauens. In a word, he is as absolutely good, as we account him great; as fully milde, as wee account him mightie; as well renowmed for mercie, as for maie­stie: so that as Plinie the second reported of Traian, there remaineth nothing to the accomplishing of our felicitie, Sed vt Dij Caesarem imitentur, Panegyr. Traia. that the Gods would follow him, and continue as fauourable and propitious Lords to vs, as he hath bene.

Those vertues which only by good discipline and edu­cation are bred in others, were borne with him; there is nothing within the compasse of his Imperiall bosome, that is eyther borrowed or feyned. Besides, there are many o­thers that attend his Princely person, so wise and heedfull in the effecting of their purposes; so honest and religious in the performance of their promises; that their wordes and actions, are euen the precepts, and precedents of true Moralitie. But as in heauen amidst the Angels, and in the [Page 31] sight of God himselfe, there haue bene Lucifers; so I wish that in the circuite of great Britaines Court, there were not likewise some, who notwithstanding the benefite of such examples, led by the instigation of their owne cor­rupted & depraued wills, run headlong on in many myery courses, and are conscious to themselues, if not of worse, at least of those fore-named imputations: Some that care not, so they purchase profite to themselues, Actaeonēsuū comedent isti canes. at what excessiue rate they sell the Princes breath, to the poore needy suppliant, nor with what vaine delayes they torture mens expectations, in hope of further Fees; Some that hauing drunke of Machiauel's impure and troubled streames, care not so much for Vertue it self, as for the out­ward shewe and apparance thereof, because they are per­swaded, That the credite of it is a helpe, but the vse of it a hinderance.

Pulchra Lauerna
Da mihi fallere, da iusto sancto (que) videri;
Hor. lib. 1. Epist. 16.
Noctem peccatis, & fraudibus obijce nubem.
Deigne sweete Protectresse of the Theeuish kinde,
I may beguile, yet seeme a Sainte in minde:
Shade my offences with a vaile of Night,
And let a mist keepe my deceits from light.

Weakenesse of Vnderstanding is thought the ground of Honestie; and Vpright-dealing, the way to Beggerie. But let not him, quem Titan finxit meliore luto, be tainted with these impurities, or worke for the more compendious rai­sing of his Fortunes, vpon such dispensations frō the rules of Charitie and Integritie. Let him thinke it a iust iudge­ment, Vt fumo pereat, qui fumum vendit; and not doe anything, whereby his soule may become obnoxious to those hellish Furies, which attend the authors of vnlawfull practises. Let him not flatter himselfe with any [Page 32] hope, that what he doth may happily be concealed; for this indeede is but a meere delusion. There is continually a God within vs, saith the Stoike, there is an Angell still about vs, Epict. in dis­sertat. ab [...]rri. d [...]g. lib. 7. cap. 14. [...]: and what neede of any light haue these to looke into the nature of our actions? Let no man therefore prostitute his voyce for a small quantitie of glittering drosse to base Vniustice, nor teach his hands according to the vsuall fashion to en­tertaine a bribe, towards the impugning of an honest cause. Plaut. in Asinar. These oculatae manus, which as the Co [...]ike sayth, quod vident, credunt, are fitter in a house of brothelrie, then in a place of dignitie. But who so looseneth the raines to such impieties, let him know, that he cannot possibly les­sen, or extenuate his fault with any faire pretences of ne­cessitie. For it is otherwise in ours, then it was in the Court of Vitellius, Histor. lib. 2. where, as Tacitus records, probitate, aut industria nemo certauit, no man in competitiō of any publike charge did euer alleage either his honestie, or industrie, whereby to purchase it; vnum ad potentiam iter, prodigis epulis & sump­tu, saginaque satiare inexplebiles Vitellij libidines: the onely way to greatnesse, was by bankettings, and prodigall ex­pence, as likewise by cramming the vnsatiable longings and desires of Vitellius.

— Exeat aulâ
Qui velit esse pius—

is an Axiome, which in this place hath no place at all. Such is the benignitie of our Prince, such now the securi­tie of our times, that Vertue neede not any longer be a­fraid to lay aside her habit of disguise, or doubt those scandalous appeales, indictments, and delations, which in former ages haue beene framed and preferred against her, by the enuious spirits of malitious persons, to the supplan­ting of an able worth. Goodnesse with vs is not a thing in question, witnesse examples that approue it, and the lawes which do exact it.

[Page 33]
Iam fides, & pax, & honor,
Horat. E­pod. lib.
pudorque
Priscus, & neglecta redire Virtus
Audet.

Wherefore howsoeuer a round and iust proceeding may peraduenture be despised of a few, who out of Charitie (if I may profane the word) to the prince of darknesse, as men intending peraduenture to enlarge his empire and dominions, endeauour, as much as in them lyeth, to fashi­on euery one to their owne mould, and make them as di­storted and prodigious in their life and conuersation as themselues, let no man notwithstanding, suffer himselfe to be diuerted from any laudable and specious course, but whether he thriue by it or no (as this is commonly the let and opposition, by which mens minds are deviated often­times from what is good) goe on in it with an euen pase, and constant resolution, rather to vndergoe with pati­ence what accidents soeuer can befall him, then to em­brace the practise of any sinister and vnlawfull arts. It can­not but redound vnto him in the end with great aduan­tage.

Virtus ipsa sibi pretium, nihil indiga laudis.
Claudian.

The Spirit of Truth in the mouth of Wisedome hath preached to the hearts of men, That vprightnesse shall keepe the innocent in his way, Pro. 13.6. and withall, That the de­ceitfull man shall not rost that which he takes in hunting. Pro. 12. verse 27.

But I feare I haue too long insisted vpon this; and there­fore for the Readers better satisfaction, I will reduce the remainder of this head into as streight a roome as possibly I may.

If in the Court (as gawdie ignorance is no where else more insolent then there) he be offered any wrongs, in­dignities and affronts, by men of greater power, and ri­cher out-sides then himselfe, let him either not thinke [Page 34] vpon them, as Caesar did, who, as Tullie witnesseth, had so excellent a memorie, that he seldome forgot any thing but iniuries and disgraces; or let him slight both them and their authors, as Cato did, who when a fellow strooke him on the mouth, would seeme to take no notice either of him, or of his fact; or thirdly, let him dissemble them, and with Antigonus winke at many things he both hea­reth and seeth. De Ira. li. 3. cap. 12. For according to Seneca, Multae iniuriae nos transeunt, ex quibus plerasque non accepit, qui nescit: or last of all, let him with Socrates conuert and turne them to a iest.

Circumscribenda multis modis ira est; Anger, saith the same Philosopher, is to be circumscribed in diuers man­ners: Pleraque in lusum, iocumque vertantur; Most things are to be made rather a matter of sport and laughter, then of any discontent. For as Cremutius Cordus auouched in his defence before Tiberius, Tacit. An­nal. lib. 3. spreta exolescunt, sin irascaris agnita videntur; being lightly set by, they doe streight­way vanish; if thou stomacke them, they seeme to be ac­knowledged. But if he perceiue they presume vpon his sufferance, and by reason of his too much softnesse and facilitie of nature, make him the onely subiect of their scornes, let him assume vnto himselfe a more fortified kind of carriage, and with some shew of edge and spirit con­front their daring impudencie; prouided alwayes they be not men, whose hye-built fortunes too much ouerlooke his owne. For then he will finde it more conuenient to proceede according to the former directions, then by such violent, and open courses redeeme himselfe from base indignities.

CHAP. VI. Of the manner how to conuerse with strangers, in forraine Regions, whereby to profite our selues, and benefite our Countrey.

SVch as are imploy'd in matters of Em­basie, & forraine treaties, must labour (that they may the better cōuerse with men in nature & disposition differing from themselues) to be throughly fur­nished with the wisedome of Applica­tion; which consisteth onely in a di­stinct and perfect knowledge of those precedent humours, customes, and inclinations, to which we must accommodate and conforme our owne.

Distance in manners, breedes difference in mindes: wit­nesse Vonones, who by the appointment of Tiberius being instituted and ordained king ouer the Parthians, was en­tertained amongst them at the first with singular appro­bation and applause, vt ferme ad noua imperia; according to the vsuall fashion of an vnsteady multitude, vpon any change or alteration of gouernment: but after they had once obserued the dissimilitude and disproportion which was betweene themselues and him, Tacit: An­nal. lib: 2. and found that he was a man as Tacitus reports, diuersus a maiorum institutis, rarò venatu, segni equorum cura, fastu (que) erga patrias epulas, whose aduerse courses did seeme to contradict the customes of their ancestors, being no way giuen to those sportes and pastimes wherein themselues delighted, they did vttterly distaste him. And vpon this, or the like examples, did C. Caesar peraduēture ground that imitation of his Grand­father, [...] [Page 38] sonne, sent Hushai the Archits to Hierusalem who meeting there with Absalom, did seeke by proffering him his ser­uice, to reconcile himselfe vnto him; and when the Prince (whether to try if his reuolt were onely feined, or whe­ther vpon any other more priuate touch, which might concerne himselfe) did vpbraide him thereupon with foule ingratitude towards Dauid, alleaging many speciall fauours he had receiued at his hands, and how from time to time he had beene honoured by him with a most sin­cere and singular affection; fashioned with all humilitie, according to the directions which he receiued at his de­parture from his Soueraigne, 2. Sam. cap. 16. vers. 18. this wise reply; Whome the Lord and this people, and all the men of Israel haue chosen for a Prince and leader, to goe in and out before them, his will I bee (saith he) and with him onely will I dwell; Yea, looke what ho­mage and seruice I haue hitherto performed to him, the like with more dutious respect will I henceforth render vnto thee. And through this dexterous application of himselfe vnto him, he preuaild so farre, that by discouering the plots and pro­iects of Ahithopel, he confounded them, secur'd his coun­trie, sau'd his Maister. So that if we rightly weigh and consider the persons of the author and the actor of this businesse, together with the reasons, motiues, and incite­ments vpon which it was grounded, and obserue withall, that the Lord himselfe hath no way taxed it in his holy and blessed word of any blemish, lamenesse, or deficien­cie, as he did those irregular and sinfull actions of his, which are there mentioned, and enrolled; but hath ra­ther, 2. Sam. cap. 17. vers. 14. as appeareth by the text, expressed himselfe to be a fauourer and furtherer of it; I doe not see how any man can iustly censure, and condemne it, as vnlawfull, where­by the life of either might be thought worthy to be bran­ded with any marke of ignominie & reproch. For, as I no­ted before, there is a difference betweene a publike Soci­etie, and a priuate Familie, where Vertue is to shew her selfe alwayes in her owne likenesse, without any maske or [Page 39] habit of delusion; whereas in the other, vnlesse I erre and faile in my accounts, she may change hir cloathes, Verè sapiens non se in ali­quibus mu­tat, sed aptat. And such a one was Piso. Tacit. Annal. 6. & Lepidus. An­nal. lib. 4. if not disguise her countenance; and, so she direct & intend her course to the same goale, run right or byas as she seeth oc­casion. But I will step from hence vnto an other point, which is to be obserued in this example, and that is this, That the dutie which we owe vnto our King and Countrie, must alwayes be preserued and maintained with more religion and re­spect, then either life or being.

There is infused and formed in all things a two-fold imitation or propension to what is good: the one, as euery particular is a Totall, and essentiall substance of it selfe; the other, as it is a subordinate part or member to a grea­ter body, as appeareth plainely in those massier Elements, which of their first and inbred forme doe make the center of the earth the onely period of their motion; yet rather then nature should suffer any divulsion, interruption, or disturbance in the progresse and continuance of her course, the water, we see, forsaketh the center, to which of it selfe it standeth affectionate and inclinable, and con­trary to that inherent propertie of weightie bodies, ascen­deth vpwards to relieue the world. In a man, vnlesse he will belye the author of his creation, through his degene­rate and base proceedings, it is expressed and set out in a farre fairer Character. Rom. cap. 9. verse 3. Exod. cap. 32. vers. 32. Saint Paul desireth to be anathe­matized for his brethren; and Moses when the Israelites, through their Idolatrous defection, had in a terrible and fearfull manner incensed the Lord of hoasts against them­selues, becommeth an humble suter in their behalfe, vnto his heauenly Maiestie, desiring him, that hee would cause his mercie to be knowne, in the free pardon and remissi­on of their sinnes: if not, that he would vouchsafe to rase his name out of those rolles and registers of Immortality, which he himselfe had written. Yea, the very Heathens haue eleuated and exalted this good which is communi­catiue, aboue the thought of any priuate or particular re­spects. [Page 40] Witnesse that memorable speech of Pompey the Great, who (when he was in Commission of purueyance for a dearth and scarsitie at Rome) being earnestly disswa­ded by his friends from hazarding himselfe vpon the Sea in so rough a season, controlled their faint and crauen al­legations with this reply, Plut. Apoph­theg. Vt eam, non vt viuam necesse est: It is necessarie that I should goe, but not that I should liue; and so set foote into the ship.

Tull. lib. 1. de Offic. Omnium societatum nulla est grauior, nulla carior, quàm ea, quae cum Repub. est vnicuique nostrûm. Cari sunt parentes, cari liberi, propinqui, familiares; sed omnes omnium caritates patria vna complexa est, pro qua quis bonus dubitet mortem oppetere, si ei sit profuturus? Of all societies and combinations there is none so weightie, as that which consisteth betweene the Common-wealth, and euery home-borne Indiuiduall. Our Parents are deare, our Children deare, our neigh­bours and acquaintance deare; but all this dearenesse our Countrie deriueth wholly to it selfe, for whose aduance­ment and commoditie no good or loyall Patriot will e­uer be afraid, saith Tullie, to abandon and forsake his life. The safetie of our King must be preferred before the safe­tie of our neerest kinne. So that our Agent, as an honest and faithfull subiect, must alwayes, but especially in for­raine regions, where there is, hath beene, or in time may be any hostile difference (as the leagues of loue and ami­tie betweene Princes are not alwayes of long continu­ance) so fashion and conforme his carriage, that the bene­fit of the publike weale maybe the onely marke and scope of his endeauours.

He must labour to get good information of such par­ticulars as lye within the compasse of that Clime, in which hee doth reside; as namely, of the situation of the place, the nature and disposition of the people; their lawes, cu­stomes, statutes, and decrees; their manner of gouerne­ment, as well Oeconomicall as Politicall; their forces and reuenues; their friendes, factions, and allyes; and from [Page 41] thence descend to a diligent suruey of all Estates & con­ditions by themselues, quoting in euery determinate per­son of more honoured ranke, his rules, his principles, and obseruations; his desires, endes, and actions; last of all, his opposites, fautors, and competitors. For if after­wards occasion of enter-course befall him with any such, hee shall by this meanes knowe how to contriue, dis­pose, conduct, and manage the businesse to his best ad­uantage.

In compassing the first there is no difficulty, if in the choyce of his acquaintance, hee fit himselfe with such as are familiar and conuersant with those that looke into the world, and are likewise generally wel intelligenced them­selues in euery seueral kinde: & as for the last, it may be ea­sily effected, by getting priuacie & inwardnes with their enemies, friendes, or seruants, which indeed doe likely report them truest of anie. For the malice of the first will peraduenture aggrauate and make worse their imper­fections, faultes, and weakenesses; the affection of the second too highly prize, it may be, their good deseruings, vertues, and abilities: whereas the last are quickly drawne and wonne, by those that are familiar with them, to make a perfect and exact delineation both of their worth and wants, discoursing of the one with signes of ioy and cheer­full approbation; of the other with shewes of griefe and sad commiseration.

But if he would vnderstand their inclination from their owne discouery, and knowe by sounding how well affec­ted they are vnto their owne established gouernement, if when need required they might not bee wrought to se­cond & assist his Soueraigne, in any enterprise or attempt that might be to his profit and aduantage, he were better proceede by way of argument and reasoning, then direct enquiry. It is a course of greater certainty, of more se­curity; and such as with no small aduantage and successe was practised by Brutus and Cassius, who intending the [Page 42] deposition of Caesar; and hauing therevpon inuited to a supper certaine of their friends, did set on foote the que­stion of killing an Vsurper and a Tyrant, with no other intent, then to collect and gather by the iudiciall and definitiue arrest of each, which of the number present, might best be made associates with them in the businesse: Or last of all, he may follow the example of Germanicus, who when the time was come, that his armie should confront the forces of Arminius, considered with himselfe in what manner he might come best to knowe, how well prepared and re­solued his soldiers were for that assault. He knew it was the fashion of the Tribunes and Centurions, Laeta saepius quàm comperta nuntiare, Tacit: An­nal. lib: 2. to relate matters of gladnes rather then of truth: Hee knew that his Liberti were of a base and seruile disposition; that friends would rather flatter then informe; last of all, he was not ignorant, that if hee should commaund a meeting and a congregation to bee called, whatsoeuer were vttered there by the voyces of a fewe, would in an instant be confirmed by the consenting cryes, and suffrages of all; and therefore in the ende he setled his suspension vpon this conclusion, penitus noscen­das mentes, cum secreti, & incustoditi, inter militares cibos, spem aut metum proferrent; That the onely meanes to vnder­stand their mindes, was to obserue and marke them, when being priuate, and vnlook't to, amidst their military fee­dings and refections, they freely vented both their hopes and feares; and therevpon hee cloathed himselfe in an vnknowne disguise, and went vnto their Tents, where he discouered to the full their loue to him, their longing for the Combat; whil'st one extolled the noblenesse of his birth, an other the comelinesse of his person; most of them his patience, his mildnesse, his immutable and constant minde in all things, whether light or serious; all of them acknowledging that in the battaile they would manifest their gratefulnes vnto him, by sacrificing those perfidious violaters and breakers of the peace, to Glory & Reuenge. [Page 43] So that our Agent, for the procuring of better informatiō, may now and then resort to places of publike meetings. For heere it is that men doe often set aside their grauitie, and being in the height of all their iollitie, doe of them­selues, or at least vpon the least occasion lay open as it were the fences and inclosures of their bosomes: And hence it was, the ancient Greekes would by no meanes suffer any in their company at such assemblies, that would not fashion themselues vnto the rest: their ordinary word of entertainmēt was; [...], drink, or get thee gone; to the intent, that nothing of whatsoeuer was done or spo­ken amongst them in their wine, might be climinated, or so much as thought vpon, by any then present, the mor­rowe following. They counted them no fit companions for themselues in their loose and freer recreations, that did altogether ouer-whelme, and drowne their memories in the cup: as appeareth by Martiall in an Epigramme of his, composed against Procillus, on the like occasion.

Hesterna nocte tibi dixeramus,
Quincunces puto post decem peractos,
Lib. 1. Epi­gram. 28.
Coenares hodie Procille mecum.
Tu factam tibi rem statim putasti,
Et non sobria verba subnotasti,
Exemplo nimium periculoso.
[...].
Last night, my friend, when I did rashly say,
After Canary cups had drown'd my wit,
Procillus thou shalt sup with me to day;
Thou thoughtst, thou hadst a prettie perquisit;
And taking notice of my drunken words,
Gau'st ill example by such obseruation.
Procille, I loathe the mate, whose thought records
A table-tale breath'd in vnsober passion.
[...]

findeth, that these doe farre exceede the former, let him re­fraine from altering any thing of whatsoeuer is appointed him: but if on the other side, the benefit outwey the de­triment, I see no reason why he may not (like wiser Mer­chants, that will not stick to venter a little when there is any hope at all of gayning much) somewhat decline from the precise and strict Mandamus of his prime and princi­pall Motor, to follow that which in his owne discourse and iudgement he apprehendeth to be far more probable. Yet euen in this I will aduise him to haue respect vnto the nature and disposition of him, to whom he doth retaine, and gouerne both himselfe and all his actions continually thereafter; because if there be in him that sowernesse and seuerenesse, which is found in many, I would not wish him to alter in any point or circumstance the forme and order which is set him downe, for feare least that should happen vnto him, which befell, as histories report, a certain Engi­ner of Athens, to whom P. Crassus Mutianus, during his residence in Asia, sent for the greater of the two Ship­masts which he had seene in Athens, to make a Ramme thereof, wherewith to batter downe the walles of a cer­taine towne which he intended to assault. The Enginer as one well vnderstood in matters of that nature, knew that the greater was no way fit for such a purpose; and because the lesser might best be carryed, and was most conueni­ent for his turne, he sent him that. But Mutianus percei­uing how the businesse went, commaunded instantly he should be brought before him, and without admittance of excuses, caused him to be so cruelly punished for his disobedience, that he dyed. To persons therefore so au­stere and sterne, he must be alwayes wonderfull respe­ctiue. They abhorre to be counsailed, when they desire to be obeyed.

It happeneth oftentimes, that in some cases, Fieri per­aduenture may bee vtterly condemned, when Factum est, may be approoued and commended; as did appeare by [Page 47] Pompey, when the Pirate Moenas came vnto him, whil'st Antonie and Caesar, vpon his inuitation, were feasting in his Gallies, and said, Wilt thou that I cut the cables, and in one instant make thee Lorde of all the Romane Empire? Thou should'st haue done it, answered hee, and not haue tolde me of it, now let vs content our selues with what we haue; for as for me, I neuer learnt to falsifie my faith to any man, or seeke my owne ad­vancement in his ouerthrowe, by acting or consenting to disloyall treaso [...]. So that here he may proceede without direction, if his conceite and apprehension can out of the nature and quality of the action, rightly consider the conclusion. There are many that could wish in the distemperature of their passions some things were done, which if they hap­pen to bee done, as Greatnesse can neuer want those that will seeke to satisfie her basest appetites, they doe for euer abhorre the presence of the doer; and would not, Saul hath no sooner spoke the word, but Doegs weapon is in the bow­ells of the Priests. if it were possible, retaine one thought of him, or of his deede. Cae­sar could not endure to looke vpon the head of his Com­petitor, nor yet vpon Theodotus that did present it to him: And Alexander condemned Bessus for the like, to a seuerer torture. He must be therefore very wary what he vnder­taketh, 1. Sam: c. 22 and haue a speciall care that the performance of it may not bee preiudiciall either to him or to his maister. Ministri scelerum tanquàm exprobrātes ab ipsis authoribus sem­per aspiciuntur. They see in them as it were by reflection, Tacit: An­nal: lib: 14. the foule corruption of their owne depraued will, which makes them loath and detest the very sight of them. He must not therefore be carelesse of that which hee attemp­teth, but with all diligent attention see that it be no way repugnant to the lawes of God or Nature.

CHAP. VIII. What literature and knowledge is required in a man, for the better enabling him to vnder­goe all kindes of businesses whatsoeuer, and effect them with successe.

THe imployments of a publike man are of sundry kindes; & sometimes in the behalfe of his Prince, sometimes of himselfe, hee is to negotiate with men of seuerall callings and professions. First therefore I thinke it meete hee should haue past through all the seue­rall Pawnes of Secular and diuine know­ledge, not parting thēce (as Merchants vsually from faires, whose repaire thither, was onely to learne the price of things) till such time as he hath purchased to himself some ornament or other. He must taste of all kinde of literature in generall, but make the ancient Registers of former ages his mindes more ordinary foode; Lib. 1. De­cad. 1. in which saith Liuie, Hoc praecipuè salubre ac frugiferum, omnis eum exempli documenta in illustri posita intuêri, inde sibi, suae (que) Reipub: quod imitetur, capiat; inde foedum inceptu, foedum exitu quod vitet. They will serue him for a Tutor in his priuate life, and for a Guide, in his publike actions. Plut: in Timol. For in them, concerning the first, he may, [...], as by a glasse, compose and fa­shion his owne life, according to those vertues that ap­peare in others. And concerning the last, [...], saith Aristotle, 1. Rhetor: cap: 5. [...]. Those writings, wherein the Arts of men are registred, are as the Arçenalls and store-houses of poli­tike directions. For by the knowledge of things past we learne how to manage things present, and how to dispose [Page 49] of things that are to come. And indeed hee that is alto­gether vnacquainted with the state of those times, which were long before Time had any estate in him, I esteem him no other then an Infant, whose discursiue facultie neuer trauailed beyond the arches of his cradle: for though his bodie be aged, yet his wit is childish, as being wholly destitute of experience, and vnexercised in the course of worldly affaires. Polyb: lib: 1. And therfore Polybius did not rashly and without mature deliberation tearme this historicall kinde of learning, [...], the truest discipline, exercise, and institution, by which men may bee trained and brought vp to ciuill acti­ons. Historie therefore (I meane) both ancient and mo­derne, must of necessity be one part, and that not the least of his studie. x. x. x.

The Ciuill lawe must likewise be an other: though in­deede so accurate a knowledge in this as in the former, is not absolutely required, yet a meane is necessarily desired. Many grosse and palpable errors haue issued in matters of treaty from the ignorance of Embassadors and their mini­sters in this profession. In confirmation whereof, I will alleage that which hapned long since to the Carthaginians, who sent their Agents to yeelde themselues to the mercie of the Romanes, and to beseech the Senat, not to suffer one of the fairest Townes of the world, and the pride and ho­nour of their victories to bee vnworthily wasted: not­withstanding all which, what by reason of the facilitie of the Porte, the factious and tumultuous nature of the peo­ple, the fyering of it was for the preuenting of future com­bustions throughly agreed vpon: And after that, the Em­bassadors were admitted, who receiuing (as they thought) an answere then which themselues could not haue framed a better for their contentment, which was, Appian: lib: de bello Pun: That they should retaine their Citie, with all the Rightes, Vsufruites, Charters, Liberties, Priuiledges, Immunities, & Prerogatiues, which thi­therto they had enioyed, return'd home with great ioy & glad­nesse. [Page 50] But alas, it was but a Meteor, that suddenly faded. For presently after, the charge of effecting their former re­solution, was by Commission delegated to the younger Scipio: who hastening towards Africa with a great Nauie, sent Censormus to receiue of them their Ships, and three hundreth Hostages: which done, he commanded all the inhabitants of Carthage to auoyde, and prouide them­selues an habitation somewhat more discoasted from the Porte then it; whereat (all astonied) they began to shewe how the Senate had assured them the safety of their City: wherevnto replie was made, That the faith which had bin giuen them, should not bee violated in the least circum­stance, but that their Citie was not tyed to the place, or to the walles of Carthage; which though it seeme a kinde of sophysticall proceeding, yet had it Lawe and Reason to authorize it.

The word Citie, is a tearme that implyeth not any lo­call place, as doth the word Towne, which the Latins call vrh [...]m ab vrb [...], i. [...]ratro; because, as Varro saith, the circuite, and pourpris of Townes was wont to be traced out with Plough; but it signifieth the right vniting and incorpora­ting of sundry persons and families into one bodie, vnder one iust and lawfull kinde of Politie; so that the Citie may be sayd sometimes to forsake the Towne. Non est in­parietibus Respub. sayd Pompey, when after he had drawne from Rome two hundreth Senators, and such as were there besides of any credit, or esteeme, he left the walls to Caesar. Thus then were the poore inhabitants constrai­ned to abandon their towne to the will and pleasure of the Romanes, who perhaps had neuer had it so good cheape, had their Embassadors sooner vnderstood the dif­ference betweene Towne and Citie.

There is the like fault in the treatie made betweene the two Cantons of Berne, and Friburgh, in the yeare one thousand fiue hundreth and fiue, where by the second article it is agreed, that, The league betweene both Com­mon-wealths [Page 51] shall remaine for euer, and as long as the walls of either towne shall endure. Many other fearefull and dangerous falls haue at sundry times hapned vnto such as haue neglected the benefit of so sure a stay; and that with no lesse danger to their Countrie, then discredit to themselues. Wherefore I hold a superficiall knowledge herein at the least, to be necessarily required in one of publike place, that both at home and abroade he may be the better able to maintaine his own credit, and his Coun­tries safetie.

A readie skilfulnesse in neighbour-languages is an or­nament, that cannot any way be wanting in him; the at­taining therefore of some perfection in them, must of force be made a part of his practise. He shall haue occasion oftentimes to negotiate with strangers: to whom without these aydes he cannot well impart himself, but with much doubt and inconueniencie.

Lastly, he must be very carefull, that whilst he seemeth a Patriot abroade, he be not thought a stranger heere at home. To talke of forraine nations, and in some long and wearisome discourse to relate their manners and their Customes, without some knowledge of his owne, is but as idle Chat; and cannot be taken, but as the symptome of a weake and crazie minde. The vse of these things is only but for application: they ought not to be followed any farther then they can further vs in the vnderstanding of our owne. Let him labour therefore with all diligence in the histories of the kingdome in which he liueth, as like­wise in the lawes, decrees, and statutes of the same; that hauing out of them discouered the nature and condition of the people, the situation of the Countrie, and how and in what manner it is gouerned, he may the better imploy all other learning for his best aduantage.

CHAP. IX. Of Negotiation in generall: wherein the seuerall Characters of mens natures are largely described; and the meanes by which to negoti­ate with all sorts of persons, is expres­sed to the full.

ALl practise consisteth either in working or discouering: the last I haue alreadie touched; and therefore here I will one­ly alleage (to shew that howsoeuer it be not, because it is of Indiuiduals, com­prised vnder precept, the knowledge of it may be possible) that which the light of true Moralitie hath assured vs; who sayth in the twen­tieth of the Prouerbs, Prouerb. 20. verse 5. vers. 5. That the counsaile in the heart of man is like deepe waters, but he that hath vnderstanding will draw it out. And as for the first, I vnderstand thereby, that forcible application of persuasiue arguments and allega­tions, by which the parties with whom he doth negotiate, are incited and induced to giue him a full and perfect sa­tisfaction in all his demaunds; which may be easily effe­cted, if that which he propoundeth, haue any reference to some wished for obiect of the Appetite or Will: which as it is referred vnto the end that man desireth, differeth from that inferiour naturall desire, in that it looketh after nothing, but what Reason and Vnderstanding, or the shew of Reason doth prescribe; whereas the other is ne­uer mooued, or delighted, but onely with that good, which is sensible and apparant. For all other goodnesse whatsoeuer, doth but weakely prouoke it; and therefore many things are neglected, which are most pretious, only because themselues are, as it were, the graues and sepul­chers of their owne worth and value.

Men are hardly wrought to any thing, which they con­ceit not to be either good, profitable, or pleasant. He must of necessitie therefore make these the grounds of his per­swasion; and hauing formerly obserued the humours, pas­sions, and inclinations of his Auditors, apply them with such fitnesse in regard of Circumstance, that when he speaketh, his discourse may seeme in all things to answere their desire, and be generally accepted, approued, and embraced, without examination, discussion, or oppositi­on. Suae quisque inuentionifauet, Plin. Sec. lib. 1. Epist. 20. & quasi fortissimum amplecti­tur, quum ab alio dictum est, quod ipse praeuidit. And therefore, Omnibus dandum est aliquid, quod teneant, quod agnoscant: which that he may the better doe, he must endeauour as much as in him lyeth, to haue a sound and perfect know­ledge of the seuerall Characters and tempers of mens na­tures and dispositions; as likewise of those impressions which are imposed vpon the minde, by the Sexe, by the Age, by the Climate, by the good or euill Constitution of the body, and the like, which are inherent, and Coevall with the substance: againe, those, which are accidentall, and haue their originall but from the forme and shape of outward fortune; for all men are not to be wonne alike.

The younger sort are both incontinent & vnconstant, changeable in their Affections, and soone distaste what they did earnestly desire. Their Passions are violent for the time, but they doe quickly vanish: their Wills are like the hunger and thirst of sickly persons, wonderfull sharp, but of no long continuance. They are exceeding prone to anger, impatient of iniuries, vnapt to swallow base indig­nities, and alwayes more ambitious then couetous. They care not for looking after profit, because they neuer ta­sted of bitter want. Mallce and subtile craft are like stran­gers, altogether vnacquainted with their bosomes: they haue not yet proceeded in the schoole of worldly wise­dome, and are therefore ignorant, plaine, and simple.

They are easie of beliefe, and credulous, as hauing not [Page 54] beene often entangled with the sophisticall proceedings of base deceit. The greatest prop whereon they rest their life, is Hope of future accidents: which notwithstanding it emboldeneth their mindes, and maketh them constant, layeth them open, and vnfenced, to treacherous and slye inuasion. They are shamefaste, modest, and withall mag­nanimous. In matters of action they alwayes prefer ho­nestie before gaine. It is Vertue that guideth them, and not Discourse; which argueth profit to be the onely aime and scope of the intention.

They delight in mirth and laughter, and are by reason thereof exceeding studious of acquaintance, and continu­ally making of appointments for publike meetings. As their actions are boundlesse, so are their affections: whe­ther they hate or loue, or whatsoeuer they doe, they passe the bounds of measure and proportion. Their eyes are full of pittie, and their hearts are stored with compassion, at the sight, or hearing of an other mans misfortunes, and disasters; because that measuring him by their owne sim­plicitie, they thinke him altogether vnworthie of his suf­ferings.

Old men are in a manner of a cleane contrary inclina­tion. For hauing by reason of their yeares, and long ex­perience, discouered, that whatsoeuer is vnder the Sunne is vanitie, and liable to chaunce, they will not vtter their opinion positiuely in any thing, but vnder-value euery thing more then is requisite or conuenient. Their discourse is alwayes limited with doubts, and suppositions, and en­terlaced with Peraduentures, It may bees, or other such like tearmes of Moderation; so whatsoeuer they propoūd, they adhere to nothing. They are for the most part left-hand­ded (that is to say) malicious, and apt to conster all things to the worst sense. Their hardnes of beliefe doth furnish them with matter of suspition; and the knowledge they haue of worldly policie, doth authorize their incredulity. Their desires are lightly of a lowe-built-roofe, and looke [Page 55] but onely after those things that may serue for the preser­uation of their life and being. Hence it is, because riches are of the same ranke and liuery, as likewise, because they are not ignorant that the wasting of wealth and substance is easie, but the purchase of it hard and difficult, they are in their expence so niggardly & sparing, that Plantus quo­teth it as a wonder to see an old man bountifull, Benigni [...]as huius sicut adolescentuli est. They are seldome valiant, but cowardly and full of feare: which as Philosopers affirme, is occasioned by the coldnes of their temper. For feare is nothing else but a frigiditie, or (as I may say) priuation of that vigorous heate, which doth enflame the bloods of younger men, and makes them carelesse both of death and danger. They delight in accusations and contentions, which is likewise a branche of Pusillanimitie; and where there is hope of gaine, they make no scruple to dispence with honestie, not caring for the breath of rumour and re­porte. Their owne timiditie, together with a long conti­nued obseruation of the mutability of worldly businesses, and their frequent interruptions and miscarriages, doth make them weake and feeble in their hopes and expecta­tions. They be wondrous talkatiue, and loue to heare the stories of Antiquity, especially such as haue hapned with­in the reuolution of their owne time, and wherein them­selues haue peraduenture beene as Ministers and Agents. They are apt enough to sympathize with others in mat­ters of griefe, and tenderly to bemone the wretchednes of their condition: but this their Commiseration is not the same with that of younger men. For the ground of it in these is courtesie and humanity, but in those weakenesse and imbecility. They see their owne estate enuironed on euery side with dangers and inconueniences, and there­fore pittie others, because themselues are likely to endure the like. They are somewhat froward, querelous, and peeuish, apt to take exceptions at any thing; and withall, to checke & contradict all courses, but such as their owne [Page 56] experience hath established, as Principles and infallible Maximes.

Now those of middle age, are as the meane betweene these two extreames, and doe alike participate of both. They are neither ouer-bolde, nor ouer-fearfull; but holde indifferently with either. They are not incredulous of all things, but shape their iudgement according to the rule of truth. They are not sparing, nor yet prodigall, but cut their garment according to their cloth, and at all times accommodate their disbursements, and layings out, to the quantitie and proportion of their yearely commings in. Their modestie is backt continually with valour, and their valour neuer but seconded with modesty: both which in youth and age are vtterly disioyned. For young men are valiant, but immodest; old men are modest, but exceeding timorous. And to conclude all in one word, looke what­soeuer is commendable in either of the other two, being considered apart and by themselues, is seeldome wanting in this: but whatsoeuer sauoureth either of excesse, or of deficiencie in them, is but fit and moderate in these. The Poet, as appeareth by the verses following, hath re­duced these differences into a briefer forme.

Imberbis iuuenis tandem custode remoto,
Horat: Art: Poet.
Gaudet equis, canibus (que), & aprici gramine campi,
Cereus in vitium flecti, monitoribus asper,
Vtilium tardus provisor, prodigus aeris,
Sublimis, cupidus (que), & amata relinquere pernix.
Conuersis studijs aetas, animus (que) virilis
Quaerit opes & amicitias, inseruit honori:
Commisisse cauet, quòd mox mutare laboret.
Multa senem circumveniunt incommoda, vel quid
Quaerit, & inuentis miser abstinet, ac timet vti:
Vel quòd res omnes timidè, gelidè (que) ministrat,
Dilator, spe longus, iners, auidus (que) futuri:
Difficilis, querulus, laudator temporis acti
Se puero, censor, castigator (que) minorum.
The beardlesse youth doth, freed from Tutors quite,
In horse, in hounds, in champion fields delite;
To vice, like waxe, with ease he may be bent,
Hee harshly brookes a Monitors intent;
In looking to his profite hee is slowe,
Nor cares he how his money he bestowe:
Haughty he is, and full of hot desire,
Ready to leaue, what loue did erst require.
By studies opposite the manly minde
Doth labour hard, both wealth and friends to finde,
He serues for honour, and doth take great heede
Of doing ought, which hee to change had neede.
The olde man seekes, yet like a wretch abstaines,
And dares not taste the sweetnes of his paines;
He gouernes all things coldly, and with feare,
And in performance sluggish doth appeare;
Puts busines off, with doubts and strange delayes,
And on his hopes makes long and tedious stayes.
To know things future greedily he longs,
Froward, peruerse, complaining still of wrongs;
Commends the times which hee a childe did viewe,
And will be Censurer of the younger Crewe.

Now this which hath hitherto beene spoken, may serue as a light, whereby to discouer the rest of those in­herent properties and impressions, which by reason of these differences and mixtures, are daily stamped in the minde of man; as likewise by the temperature of the ayre, in which they liue, and the nature of the heauen, vn­der which they breathe; from whence S. Paul did reason and conclude, that those of Crete were with sharpnes and seuerity of discipline to be reprooued: [...], &c. The Cretanes are alwaies Lyars, euill beasts, slowe bellyes; Tit: 1. ver. 12.13. and therefore (saith he) Rebuke them sharply. So that now I [Page 58] will passe from these, and speake of such as are externe, and bred but by the accesse of some vnlookt-for for­tune.

Such is the composition of mens internall affections, that the nobler they grow, the more ambitious they be­come. For there is none but desireth alwayes to adde somewhat to his first acquist, and to enlarge the heape by new supplyes, and fresh accumulations. Plus vitrà is the soule of all their Emblemes and deuises. They loue not any should be praysed or commended but themselues, and are apt withall to traduce the worth and good deser­uing of such as are like their Ancestors. For those things which haue beene wrought and effected long agone, are farre more honourable, and affoord more matter for o­stentation, then those which were of late atchieued; so that the relation of them, should it passe without some contra­diction, or embasement of their price, might peraduen­ture they thinke obscure and dimme the lustre of their owne.

Such manners, customes, and inclinations as attend on riches may easily be discerned. They that are owners of neuer so little quantitie, are for the most part proud, and contumelious; They stand as highly conceited of themselues, as if they had in their possession where with to purchase the fee-simple of the whole world. For riches are indeede the price of whatsoeuer else is existent in this earthly Globe, and by them alone the dignitie thereof is valued and esteemed. They are daintie, and doe arrogate much vnto themselues: the first, to expresse by way of boasting those pleasures, and that happinesse which they enioy; this other, because that all men doe hunt and fol­low after that which they themselues adore with loue and admiration. They are seldome greatly troubled with iniuries or indignities, because the number of those that stand in neede of their helpe is in euery Towne and Citie very great. They challenge to themselues precedencie of [Page 59] most men, and thinke that by reason of their great abun­dance they should be lords and rulers ouer all, which in­deede they are. For as the Oracle of heauenly wisedome hath assured vs, The rich ruleth the poore, Prouerb. 22. verse 7. and the borrower is no better then a seruant to him that lendeth. But heere wee must obserue, that the manners and behauiour of such as haue attained to some eminent promotion but of late and on the suddaine, and theirs that haue enioyed their glory, and their large possessions a longer season, are very diffe­ring one from the other. All euils are more, and in a high­er degree of euill in them, then in the latter. For this same suddaine flowe and encrease of fortune doth so seldome better the disposition, that as Tacitus reporteth, Histor. lib. 1. Vespasia­nus solus omnium ante se principum in melius mutatus est. So much prosperitie doth oftentimes corrupt the wisest, and vtterly ouerthrow the best composed natures, so that with Pindarus his Tantale, [...]: they can­not digest too great a happinesse: wherevpon it follow­eth, that their minds are ouercharged, and oppressed with crudities, and many vlcerous inflammations. That spuri­ous and adulterate brat of rule, and soueraignetie, Licen­tiousnesse, did so alter the noble constitution of Darius his princely minde, that he remaines a precedent to all posteritie; homines cum se permisêre fortunae, etiam na [...]uram dediscere. Of himselfe he was milde, and tractable: but the condition of his State corrupted many times the state of his condition, and puffed him vp with such conceites as were afterwards vpon more setled consideration vtterly disallowed. Curt. lib. 1.

Last of all, there is a difference in manners, which pro­ceedeth onely from a difference in nouriture and educa­tion. And this was well expressed by Lycurgus, when in the presence of all the Lac [...]daemonians he brought forth two Grey-hounds, both of one breeding, though not of one bringing vp, and set before them a pot of Pottage, and a Hare; which was no sooner on foote, but that which [Page 60] had beene formerly accustomed to the field, did streight­way vndertake it, and forgot the gruell to pursue the game; whereas the other that had beene alwayes a Tenant to the Kitchin, as nothing moou'd with that inticement, fell closely to his lap. All men are eyther ignorant, and rusticall, or ingenuous and liberall; the first are, as the Ita­lian calleth them, humanate bestie, such, as by reason of that small proportion of vnderstanding which is in them, care not but to satisfie their sensuall appetites, and are wonne to nothing which is not either profitable or plea­sant.

Since all men therefore doe approue that speech which hath the neerest affinitie and resemblance with them­selues, and which is fittest accommodated to the priuate motions and propensions of their owne humours and in­clinations, I shall not neede to furnish him with any other precept, or instruction, but onely this, That he varie his Rhetoricall proofes, inductions and perswasions, accor­ding to the nature and disposition of his Auditors; vt quaelibet eorum diuersa genera per plures dicendi species teneat. Plin. Sec. lib. 2. Epist. 5. For one and the same thing, if intended to seuerall per­sons, must be vttered to them all respectiuely, and seue­rall wayes; and therefore let him be as the Poet sayth, ‘Orpheus in syluis, inter Delphinas Arion.’ For without this voluble and winding application, he may well write or speake, but he shall neuer be able to preuaile.

To negotiate with men by letters, vnlesse in cases wherein he would aduantage himselfe by the reply, is dangerous, vncertaine, and inconuenient. First, because in them he layeth himselfe more open to their Vnder­standing, then in ordinarie Conference, in which his words are altogether Cursorie, and cannot possibly be marked, or considered, but by glimpses, and in passage. Secondly, because they doe oftentimes miscarrie, and [Page 61] by reason of that, may many wayes prooue hurtfull and preiudiciall. Lastly, because they are subiect to distor­sions, wrestings, deprauations, and inconstructions. Plin. Sec. lib. 5. Epist. 7. Ser­monem vultus, gestus, vox ipsa moderatur: Epistola omnibus commendationibus destituta malignitati interpretantium expo­nitur.

It is better to deale with men by Attornie, then in per­son: for so shall he drawe all things on the suddaine and without premeditation from them; but himselfe get time to deliberate and thinke vpon the businesse, and returne their words that answere, which is most conue­nient for his owne turne: besides, if the partie that is im­ployed be wise, and well experienced in matters of the world, many articles and couenants may be vnder-hand agreed vpon, which himselfe if after-occasions shall dis­couer the performance of them to be cumbersome, may disavow, as hauing past without his knowledge and ap­probation; and so finde meanes to free himselfe from in­conueniences, by making his startings and departures to his owne advantage. But these Revocatorie procee­dings in matters wherevnto his iudgement, by the in­tercession of a third, hath formerly consented, are but sophisticall and deceitfull Elenches; yea, such as cannot be practised without dishonestie and soyle of reputation. And now will I passe from this, to come to that, which is more particular.

CHAP. X. Of the seuerall kindes of Negotiation, viz: the Iudiciall, Deliberatiue, and Demonstratiue: their seuerall vses, natures and proprieties.

WHatsoeuer is the subiect or occasion of Entercourse, and Debatement, is either Iudiciall, Deliberatiue or De­monstratiue. The first consisteth in accusing, and defending, in demaun­ding, and denying; and comprehen­deth vnder it all such speeches as are either Conquestorie, Expostulatorie, or Refutatorie: The second in exhorting and dehorting, and compriseth such as are Gratulatorie, Complementall, or Offi­cious: The third and last is altogether exercised in pray­sing and dispraysing, and containeth in it such as are Peti­torie, Commenda [...]orie, Deprecatorie, Consolatorie, Obiurgatorie, and the like. So that nothing is at any time in question or controuersie betweene man and man, but it may well be referred to some one of these. And therefore hauing once discouered to what kinde of cause, the matter which he is to treate of, be it by letter, by personall conference, or howsoeuer, doth naturally belong, he may straightway know to what Topikes, heads, and common-places he should repaire for arguments, examples and inductions, with other such preparatorie store, wherewith to streng­then, and corroborate his plea. Roscius non occidit patrem, is a question Coniecturall Iudiciall, and is therefore handled in places proper thereunto, viz. Voluntate & Facultate: that Roscius had neither the will to doe it, nor the meanes. Be­sides, the finall ayme, and scope of all his speech will here­by easily appeare. For not to stand vpon the generall [Page 63] ends thereof, which are either Gnosticall, and haue in them a plaine and open exhortation, either to Action or Imita­tion, as appeareth in the Demonstratiue, from whence we slide to the Deliberatiue; or Practicall, when any thing is expresly commaunded, as hapneth oft in this and the Iudi­ciall; I will onely handle those that are more speciall, as namely the person of the Orator, the person of the Audi­tor, and the qualitie of the thing: For in euery seuerall kinde, these three must with singular discretion and ad­uertisement, be well considered.

In the Iudiciall it is the dutie of an Orator to act the Plaintife, or Defendant; the part of a Iudge to put on the habit of Mildnes, or Seueritie; and the propertie of the Thing to be iust, or vniust; lawfull, or vnlawfull.

In the Deliberatiue the Speaker must altogether per­swade or disswade; the hearer, either hope, or feare; and the thing it selfe make shew of profit, or of detriment.

In the Demonstratiue, the first must praise or dispraise; the second be somewhat delighted with what is spoken; and the last seeme good and honest, or of a contrarie graine. And thus much of their ends. Now will I delineate and describe in a more exact and pe [...]fect manner the state of euery seuerall kinde, and first of that which is Iuridicall.

It is entituled by Rhetoricians Status qualitatis, a State of qualitie, because in it the nature of the fact is examined, sifted, and defyned, whether it partake with Equitie, or Vniustice; as likewise because in it the question for the most part is de iure: And it is twofolde, viz. of the time past, and a thing alreadie done, which indeed is properly that State, which we surname Iuridicall; or of the time to come, and whether a thing may iustly be done, or no; which kinde of Constitution we call Negoti [...]ll. The Iudici­all state is likewise twofolde; Absolute, when without assu­ming any thing for the confirming, or approuing of what is done, we pronounce by some direct Enunciation, it is rightly done: or Assumptiue, when we lay hold on some ex­ternall [Page 66] ignorant and vnlearned are oftentimes more moued with contumelies and disgraces, then with whatsoeuer is ho­nest or vpright.

Comparisons, in regarde that something may be ho­nest, easie, profitable, and commodious in a higher degree then others; yea, they may seeme full often to encoun­ter, as where in Sophocles, Ismene and Antigone, consulting about the buriall of their brother; the one respected one­ly honesty, the other, nothing but security, and the obedi­ence of the Magistrate.

Last of all, Affects and Motions, but especially in mat­ters of some moment and importance. Your Ancestors, (saith Tullie,) in his oration for Manilius, haue often waged warres to reuenge those iniuries and indignities, which haue bene offered to their Merchants & their Mariners. How then ought you to be affected after the bloudië massacre of so many thousand Romane Citizens, &c: where all the foure doe manifestly concurre, (viz:) the Example, the Comparison, the Opposition, and the Motion.

CHAP. XII. Of the Demonstratiue, where are like­wise showne the seuerall kindes thereof, together with the meanes how to enforce and presse them for aduantage. x. x.

THE Demonstratiue is so entituled, be­cause that in it the vertues and the vi­ces of a man are plainely showne. Or because in this kinde Rhetoricians doe most of all lay open & vnfold the chie­fest ornaments and flowers of their e­loquence: by reason whereof, it may bewell suspected to be somewhat the [Page 67] more sophysticall. Cicero calleth it exornati [...]nem, a kinde of beautifying; and Plato will haue it nothing else, In Sophista. then [...], to speake with preparation, maiestie, and pompe. The vse of it is altogether Ethicall, and is apply­ed but to reforme the minde. The matter of it is the same with that of the other two, from which it differeth onely in the handling. For the former consist in precepts; this in exposition. Glorie not in sumptuous rayments, but let thy whole delight bee in the lawe of the Lorde, is a sentence, which containeth in it instruction, counsaile, and direction; whereas, in saying by way of instance, That he gloried not in sumptuous rayments, but his whole delight was in the law of the Lorde; we doe (but as it were) encomiastically expound the sense and meaning of the first. Whosoeuer therefore would commend, let him see what he would cō ­mand; if command, let him see what he would commend, as a thing in manners decent and conuenient.

This Demonstratiue kinde of speeche is either serious, as in the praising of Enagoras, in Isocrates; or sportfull, and for merriment, as that of the Flie in Lucian. The subiect thereof is threefold. For all praises are either of persons, of deedes and atchiuements, or last of all, of things cor­poreall and incorporeall. The handling of the first is ei­ther Naturall, or Artificiall. Naturall, when following the course of time, we make a direct enumeration and recitall of all such worthy accidents, and remarkable points and passages, as may haue happened from the day of a mans birth, to the houre of his buriall. Artificiall, when wee mingle and confound them; or when by logicall diuisions and distributions we referre them to certaine heads; as to the goods of the minde, of the bodie, or of Fortune; or thirdly, when we climbe vp from the lesser to the grea­ter, or slide downe from the greater to the lesser: or last of all, when small things are enterueined with great; things darke and obscure, with such as are cleare, mani­fest, and apparant; those which are altogither incredible, [Page 68] with such as are somewhat probable. Examples we haue of euery kinde; of the persons in Demosthenes, Isocra [...]es, Theoc [...]tus, and diuers others, who by Epitaphes, by Pane­gyrikes, and such like Epideicticall discourses, haue publi­shed vnto the world the good deseruings of sundry men: Of the deedes, in that Thankes-giuing of the Israelites to God for their deliuerance, Exod: 15. as likewise in many places of profane Authors. Of things themselues, in Tul­lie's booke De Senecture, where Pleasure is vtterly con­demned, and Husbandry abundantly commended; be­sides, in the 11. of the Hebrues, where the blessed Apostle S. Paul hauing defined the nature and the property of Faith. propounds vnto them an Encomiasticall description of the vertue, power, and efficacie thereof; and so in seue­rall places.

But for the auoyding of all such inconueniences, as may happen in the handling of this kinde, wee must first of all obserue an omission, or at least a speedy expedition, and dispatch of whatsoeuer may proue distastefull and vnsa­uoury in the vtterance; or secondly, wee must colour and disguise it with some faire pretence: which like Ceruse, or some other more artificiall beauty, may serue to shadowe whatsoeuer is eyther wrinkled or deformed: as where Isocrates in his Helenes Encomio relateth, that shee was not stolne by Paris from her husband, for any lust or wanton pleasure, but by the prouocation of an ambitious desire, which he had to be made and called the kins-man of Iupi­ter. On the contrary, hee that dispraiseth any thing, will willingly make vse of nothing but of defamatory traduce­ments and reproches: and howsoeuer, now and then hee make some recapitulation of such vertues and abilities, as are so manifest and apparant to the world, that he cannot, as he would, without some preiudice conceale them; yet notwithstanding hee will be sure neuer to propound them but with some dash, that shall obscure and blemish them, as in this, Caesar fuit fortissimus, pationtissimus, Clementissimus: [Page 69] where, in a most ingenuous and friendly manner, the Au­thor seemeth to acknowledge and confesse those extra­ordinary parts and vertues, which were so eminent in Cae­sar, that the smothering of them would peraduenture haue argued and convinced him to be both enuious and mali­cious: but that same, Haec omnia regni causâ, commeth in the rereward, and darkeneth all. But I cannot indeed approue of this. For it is but an adulterate kinde of skill, yea such as is altogether disauowed by Vertue and Morali­tie. Aristotle hath condemned such as are fauourers of it, as hauing no other end, then [...], to destroy that which is good, by mingling it with what is bad. And indeed what is it else, then with that enuious e­mie in the Gospell, superseminare zizaniam & abire, Matt. 13. vers. 25. to sowe tares ouer the wheate and then be gone? I vrge it not therefore as a precept,

Ego ille sum, qui scelera committi vetem:
Author Theb.
Ego sum magister iuris, & moris probi.

I onely propound it as a meanes of Discouery.

Last of all, wee must first knowe, concerning this De­mo [...]stratiue kinde of speeche, that in a drie and barren sub­iect, plura tractantur accessoria, quàm rei propria; a man may drawe in many things, which are not altogether proper, or peculiar; and by way of digression discourse of sundry matters, which carry but a side respect vnto the thing in hand. And hence it was, that Gorgias peraduenture did boaste, he neuer wanted whereof to speake. For if Achil­les (for example sake) were at any time to bee commen­ded, the praises of Peleus, Aeacus, and Iupiter, would like­wise follow.

Secondly, That Opinion, Conceite, or Commendation, may supplie the roome and place of Exhortation, and Perswasion: as when we praise a Childe, or any other, for doing that, which we desire to haue them doe; as likewise in that of [Page 70] Demosthenes, Olynth. 1. who speaking to the Athenians, in stead of telling them, that it was their dutie to consider what was needefull and conuenient for the Common-wealth, and not so gripingly retaine the money, which was to be dis­burst for publike vses; I beleeue (saith he) Athenians, that you more esteeme the glorie of your Countrie, then any wealth, or treasure whatsoeuer: which is a figuratiue and cunning kind of aggression, and such as may lawfully be practised, and with good successe. It is easie for euery man liuing to erre, but so hard to wrest from any mans mouth a plaine ac­knowledgement of error, thar what hath once beene vn­aduisedly resolued vpon, the same is commonly persisted in, as long as wit, by whetting it selfe, is able to finde out any shift, be it neuer so slight, whereby to escape the hands of present Contradiction. Deprehensus pudor amit­titur. Sen. But when wee see our faults passe vndiscouered, and that we are praysed for the contrary, we doe willingly, and of our owne accord re­duce our selues.

Thirdly, that in all things there be kept a true decorum, and a comelinesse, and that hauing regard vnto the Audi­tor, nothing be vttered, but what is honourable and gra­cious. And thus far of this. I will now come vnto those parts of speech, which are necessarily required for the better handling and enforcing of each seuerall kinde.

CHAP. XIII. Of the seuerall partes, whereof all spee­ches doe consist, whether they be Iudiciall, Deliberatiue, or Demonstratiue, and of diuers points which are essentiall to the well composing of each.

THe seuerall parts whereof all speeches, whether Iudiciall, Deliberatiue, or Demon­stratiue doe vsually consist, are sixe, viz. the Exordium, the Narration, the Propo­sition, the Confirmation, the Refutation, the Peroration, or Conclusion. The Exordium is properly that part, by which the minde of whosoeuer is the Auditor, is made fit & willing to embrace the sequele. Tullie calleth it vestibulum & aditum ad causam, an entrance or portall into the cause. And it is direct and manifest, as when by open and perspicuous motiues we doe incite the hearer to attention; or it is winding and oblique, as when by bouts and circuits we labour couertly to surprize him. The Greekes haue termed this an Incantation, the Latines an Insinuation. It was practised with no meane successe by Sinon, when being brought before king Priamus, he did endeauour by a true confession of some things in the beginning, to make the better passage for those treache­rous lyes, which he intended should follow after.

Cuncta equidem tibi Rex,
Vir. Aeneid. lib. 2.
fuerint quaecunque fatebor
Vera; saith he, neque me Argolica de gente negabo.

And it is the ordinary practise of Deceit, Liv. lib. 28. fidem in paruis sibi praestruere, vt cum operaepretium sit, cum mercede magna fal­lat, saith our Historian.

It is needefull when the matter in hand is such, as either for the grosenesse or the strangenesse thereof, may alienate the mindes and affections of the hearers from vs; or when they are before-hand otherwise perswaded; or last of all, when wee perceiue that they doe faint, and are growne weary of hearing. Sentio Iudices, saith Cicero, occurrendum esse satietati aurium, animorumque vestrorum. Quamobrem multa praetermittam. Ad ea autem quae dicturus sum, reficite vos, quaeso Iudices, per Deos immortales, dum id Verris facinus com­memoro, quo tota prouincia Sicilia commota est; and this euen towards the end of his sixt Oration against Verres.

The onely aime of an Exordium is chiefely to beget be­neuolence, which if the cause be doubtfull, and ambigu­ous, must of necessitie be procured, and that from the per­sons, or frō the things. The persons eyther are our selues, and such as we defend, and pleade for; or secondly, they are our hearers; or last of all our aduersaries. It is drawne from our owne persons by a modest commendation of our abilities and deserts; as likewise by a commemorati­on and recitall of our cares and troubles; the first is Et [...]i­call; the other in a meane Patheticall; or by a refutation, and remouall of such obstacles and impediments as may any way be hurtfull and preiudiciall to vs. From the per­sons of our Auditors, by alleaging their prayses; or by let­ting them know the hope and estimation which men haue of them. Fide sapientiaque vestra fretus, saith the Orator, plus oneris sustuli quàm ferre me posse intestigo. Last of all, from the person of our Aduersaries, by bringing them into hatred through some particular relation of whatsoeuer villanies and enormities haue bin committed by them; or by ex­posing them to enuy, by some cunning blazoning of their wealth, birth, power, and authoritie, as things on which they more rely, then on the vprightnesse of their cause: or thirdly, by causing them to be contemned through some rehearsall of their slothfulnesse, their ignorance, and other such like weakenesses and imperfections.

An other end to be considered in the well composing of an Exordium, is the begetting of attention; which is easily obtained, if we signifie vnto our Auditors, that we are to speake of matters of importance; such as neerely concerne the cōmon-wealth, are necessarie to be knowne, and carrie with them profit and delight. Vtilissima munera, Plin. lib. 1. Epist. 8. si non perinde popularia, comitate orationis inducenda. And ther­fore in this we must imitate the wise Physitians, qui salu­bres, sed voluptate carentes cibos blandioribus alloquijs prose­quuntur. Or last of all, if in lowe and humble manner we craue, and beg it at their hands.

A third and last end is, to instruct the hearer in the cause, if so it be obscure; and for his better information to epitomize and abridge the businesse, letting him see the summe of it, first in some generall proposition, and af­terwards in some particular diuision.

Now these in regard of the conceites and opinions which men haue oftentimes both of the persons and the things, are with all diligence to be considered: to the in­tent, that hauing vnderstood how all men stand affected to our Cause, and knowing what they thinke both of the Plaintiffe, and D [...]fendant; as likewise what either friends or enemies could wish were principally done, we may thereafter for our best aduantage, frame and compose the beginning of our speech.

There are some Proëms, which seeme, as it were, inartifi­ciall, and withall somewhat remooued from the Cause in hand, but are notwithstanding very cunningly connexed with it, and they are either P [...]ristaticall, such as are drawne from circumstances, as from Time, Place, and the like; or they be Gnomicall, such as are taken from Sentences, Pro­verbes, Examples, Precedents, and Customes.

Those haue in them alwaies the best grace which are grounded vpon the speeches of our aduerse partie, be­cause that seeming not to haue bene indicted at home, but inuēted there, the readinesse of wit brings an encrease [Page 74] of fame; and the shew of Simplicitie an acquist of faith. Quo minus cupiditatis, Liu. lib. 4. Dec. 3. ac stu [...]ij v [...]a est oratio hubere, eo plus authoritatis habuit, saith Liuie, speaking of that Oration, which Apollonides the Siracusan applied to the distempered mindes of his diuided countrimen. Ea demum magna vo­luptas [...]st (saith Cicero) Crispe Sallusti, aequalem, ac parem ver­bis vitam agere. Retor: lib. 3. From whence we must obserue according to that principle of Aristotles, that he which is Plaintiffe must most of all enforce his accusations in the Epilogue, but the Defendant must in the very first beginning refell all scandalous imputations, that may hurt, or hinder.

Such as are puffed vp and swolne, are vtterly to be a­uoyded; as likewise those, which are vulgar, and may serue for many causes; or common, and which our aduer­saries may vse as well as we, with diuers others as vitious and defectiue in some regard as these.

Sometimes they may be altogether omitted, as in Epi­stl [...]s, which are onely narratorie: yet in matters of mo­ment, they cannot be neglected, no not of the Athenians themselues, who were compelled by the Law to speake without Exordiums or Affects.

After the Exordium commeth the Narration, which is nothing else, but an exposition of things done, or reputed to be done. Sometimes there is a kinde of preparation in­terposed, that it may seeme to cohere the better with the former. For it is not fit we should suddainely rush vpon any thing, but come vnto it seasonably, and by degrees. Now euery Narration is Grammaticall, or Oratoriall. A Grammaticall Narration is that which is remooued from ciuill pleas, and yet is vsed for the better handling of such as are Oratoriall: and it is of Persons, and expresseth the in­ward manners, and the outward shape; or of Things, and is either Historicall, containing in it an act done; or [...]las­m [...]ti [...]ll and fained, whose argument is onely but a fiction, yet such as may be done; or Mythicall & fabulous, reporting that which neuer was done, nor is euer likely to be done.

The Oratoriall narration is that which appertaineth to Ciuill causes, and is vsed, as may appeare in all the Orati­ons of Demosthemes and Cicero, as a speciall meanes where­by to ouerthrow our aduersarie, and obtaine the victorie. It is either Generall, or Speciall: the first is the chiefe and primarie Narration of the whole cause, and as I may say, the seate and foundation, whereon we ground the faith and credit of our matter: the last is a Digression, which hapneth sometimes vpon some certaine reason mouing vs there­vnto. The generall Oratoriall Narration is either Simple, as in this; Occiditur ad Balneas Palatinas redi [...]ns à coe [...]a S. Ros­cius, where neither the manner of the murther is set downe, nor any other circumstance, that might argue the truth of that assertion. And here we must note, that those things, which depresse and sad the spirits of our Auditors, are ne­uer to be vttered but with exceeding breuitie; whereas those that are well relished and accepted by them, are to be rested on some longer time. And thus doth Homer make Vlysses to relate the stories of his wandring trauailes at large to those of Corcyra. Odyss: lib. 9. vs (que) ad lib. 12. who were themselues men for­tunate, and studious of reports: Or secondly, it is proba­ble, and in it are sowne the seedes of a future Confirmation: Or thirdly, it is magnificent, and describeth all things so exactly, and in such amplifying manner, that we seeme as it were to behold them with our eyes: Or last of all, it is delightfull, and is vsed more for pleasure then necessitie.

The elements whereof Narrations doe consist, are cir­cumstances, which Plutarke calleth [...], In vita Ho­meri. the occasions of euery exposition; and they are either,

  • 1. Persons.
  • 2. Things done.
  • 3. Things pretermitted in the doing.
  • 4. Reasons and inducements mouing men to either.
  • 5. Opinions, Counsailes, Aduises and Conceits.
  • 6. The place where.
  • [Page 76]7. The time, when.
  • 8. The manner, how: in which the preparation, together with such instruments as did belong to the per­formance are likewise showne.
  • 9. The finall issue and euent of all.

After the Narration followeth the Proposition, which is the State it selfe, or the principall Question, to which all proofes and arguments are referred. The Narration may be sometimes omitted, as in disputations, suasorie Causes, and iudgements, as likewise when the thing is manifest and knowne: but the Proposition must be alwaies implyed at least; for it is the scope of the contention: and to speake, and not propound the summe of the matter, what is it else but to beate the ayre, and to encounter with a sha­dowe? It is the life or soule of Speech, and is proportiona­bly diffused through euery part and member of the same.

It hapneth sometimes, that in one and the same cause there may be many separate Propositions; as when Socrates was accused in Xenophon to haue corrupted the younger sort, Apomne: 1. and to haue brought in superstitions that were neuer heard of. Sometimes againe there may be many, but all of them depending vpon some one more principall: so that heere it is necessarie and conuenient, there should be a di­uision and enumeration of all such parts, as we would han­dle, together with some information of those, which we were minded to omit. But heere we must beware that this diuision consist not of more then three, or foure bran­ches at the most; and that, for feare the memorie through ouer many might happily be surcharged; or that exact­nesse in this kinde should be made an argument of dome­sticall Meditation: for which respect, Partitions many times are not at all to be obserued. But being seasonably applied, they grace and beautifie the speech exceedingly; Besides, the Auditors remember, and conceiue things with more facilitie, and are withall refreshed, when they knowe how much they are to heare.

The Confirmation is an exposition of our arguments, accompanied with an asseueration, and is referred who­lie to the prouing and authorizing of the State, or prin­cipall question, which if that once faint, must of ne­cessitie fall. In it the matter and forme, whereof our ar­guments consist, must of necessitie be both considered: and withall wee must obserue, that if they be firme and sound, they may be placed in it seuerally by them­selues, and with some distance one from an other: but if they be weake and crazie, they must be heaped vp to­gether, that what they want in strength, may be supplyed in number.

The Confutation is nothing else but a dissoluing of whatsoeuer our aduerse partie shall alleage towards the weakening and impugning of our Cause, Fab. lib. 5. cap. 13. which must be followed with exceeding diligence: because as it is har­der to heale then to hurt, so is it to defend then to accuse. Ad reprehendenda aliena facta aut dicta ardet omnibus animus; Sallust. de Rep. ordin. 1. vix satis aperium os, aut lingua prompta videtur, quae meditata pectore euoluat. It is two-fold, viz. eyther of the Forme, as when we shew their Consequences and Collections to be bad, or of the Matter, which for the diuersitie of argu­ments is very diuers. For that which is doubtfull and am­biguous can not be refelled, but by distinguishing; that which is false, no otherwise then by an absolute deny­ing of it, together with an allegation of such reasons as moue vs to denie it; yet sometimes it may be seconded with a diuision, which is a larger and more copious kind of defence, the Negation being graunted ex abundanti, as Rhetoricians tearme it, as in this; Say that Roscius had beene hated of his father, yet can it not be hence concluded, that hee would haue killed him; the accuser therefore should haue alleaged some weightier cause for his conuiction. Those things which are light, and of little moment, must bee di­stinctly set vpon, that so the troupe may be the better scattered.

Plut. in A­pophthegm. Scilurus lying on his death-bed, easily broke those ar­rowes, that were then brought vnto him, one by one, which being boūd together, none of his fourescore sonnes were able to doe. And thus by the appointment of Serto­rius, a sickly man did likewise without strayning of him­selfe at all, plucke euery haire from out the taile of a strong and lusty horse; Idem in vita Sertorij. which an able and well disposed Souldier taking holde of the whole taile of one feeble and ready to dye, with both his hands could neuer doe: Sometimes a­gaine, they are refuted by a deflexion from the thing, to a reprehension of the person. Cum hoc modo accusas Eruci, nonne hoc palam dicis? Ego quid acceperim scio, quid dicam nes­cio. Vnum illud spectaui, quod Chrysogonus aiebat, neminem isti patronum futurum; saith Cicero in his defence for Roscius: where the three former are to the matter, but the fourth digresseth from the matter to the person.

Common things are best refelled by Inversion, when we shewe the signes or causes, which are brought against vs, to make directly for vs: as in this. Occidisti, quia sepe­lijsti; Thou sluest him, because thou buriedst him. Nay ra­ther, my burying of him, is an argument that I did not slay him. For had I slaine him, I would haue sooner fled, then stayde to bu­rie him. So that the parts of this inverting kinde of Con­futation are two. For first, there is a Negation of the signe, and then a reason of this Negation. Or secondly, they may be ouerthrowne by Violation, which is a forcible retorting of our aduersaries allegations on himselfe, and differeth from Inversion, in that it is Apologeticall, and defendeth; whereas the other is also Categoricall, and accuseth. The one is like Marcellus with his sword; the other like Fabius with his shielde. It is of greatest power, in that it is least looked for, and cannot (being well pursued) but procure the victory. Heliodor. lib. 2. In a word, it is nothing else, then [...], to cut a mans throte, with his owne weapons. Or thirdly, by Absolution, when wee interprete the signes or causes, otherwise then our aduersary. Hee [Page 79] with scandall and maliciously; wee with some colour to the better part, as in this, Sepelij, &c. I buried him, not be­cause I slue him, but because I had compassion on him. Things impertinent, and not belonging to the question, may be reiected and contemned, as not deseruing any other refu­tation. Things cleare and manifest, may be confronted with some contrary Argumentation, or Compensation; or by ouer-whelming the hearers memory with infinite Digres­sions, which is indeede a speciall kinde of supplanting, and such as Aeschynes desired the Iudges to obserue in De­mosthenes.

The Peroration is the vtmost bounde of euery speeche; or the Conclusion thereof, in which the principall Propositi­on is repeated. The parts of it are two, Enumeration, by which whatsoeuer was handled in a scattering, and diffu­sed manner throughout the whole, is for remembrance­sake reduced into one place; and is oftner to be vsed by the Plaintife, then by him that is Defendant. 2. Amplifica­tion, which is a more pressing kinde of Affirmation, and such as hauing mooued the mindes, begetteth credit, and au­thoritie. It is applyed, eyther to incense men against the wicked, or to mooue them to pittie the distressed.

And thus farre of the seuerall parts, which are ne­cessarily required in euery seuerall kinde of speeche.

CHAP. XIIII. How to frame a Stile which may be corres­pondent and agreeable to each seuerall kinde of Negotiation: Of the care which must be had in fitting it, both to the Person, and the Argument.

WHether it happen that a man be to ne­gotiate in person, or by letter, he must be very carefull, that he deliuer and set downe his minde in such a stile and phrase, as may not be distastefull. For the effecting wherof, he must first haue a respect to the nature, ranke, and abi­litie of the persons, with whome hee is to treate. For if they be such as hauing in themselues an a­bility to doe well, carry not the least peece of an eare, that can swallowe, much lesse digest a vulgar conceite it will behooue him so to frame it, as that it may seeme of pompe, yet free from affectation.

He must not make it sauour so much of art, as of a cer­taine Courtly magnificencie, which by a kinde of analogi­call proportion, may somewhat answere the greatnes of the partie, to whom he either writes or speakes. If it be to one of high place and publike action, he must endeuour to be briefe, but withall perspicuous.

Cùm tot sustineas, cùm tanta negotia solus;
Hor: lib: 2. Epist: 1.
Res Italas armis tuteris; moribus ornes;
Legibus emendes; in publica commoda peccem,
Si longo sermone morer tua tempora Caesar.
Such great affaires since thou alone sustain'st;
And by thy armes th'Italian weale maintain'st;
Since thou alone with manners it adornest,
And her defects by prudent Lawes reformest,
I should (great Caesar) wrong the publike good,
If with long speeches I thy times withstood:

Saith Horace, writing to the Maiestie of Rome. Now for the difference of mens natures, let him remember the complaint of the Poet,

Tres mihi conuivae propè dissentire videntur,
Hor: lib: 2. Epist. 2.
Poscentes vario multùm diuersa palato.
Three Guests I haue, which plainely disagree,
Asking strange things, with differing taste, of mee:

And haue alwayes a dish in store for euery mans content­ment: So that whether,

Carmine gaudebit; vel delectetur Iambis;
Siue Bionaeis sermonibus, & Sale nigro:

Hee may finde out a plate for his owne Palate. Second­ly, he must haue regard in the composing of his stile to the quality and proprietie of the Subiects, whereof hee is to treate; varying it, as occasion shall require, in a fit and de­cent manner, according to the diuersitie of the same. And looke what passions he would stirre vp in others, hee must first so expresse them in it, as he may seeme to be affected with the same himselfe;

—Tristia moestum
Vultum verba decent; iratum, plena minarum;
Horat: de arte Poët.
Ludentem lasciua; seuerum, seria dictu.

Hee that would moue compassion in my heart, must shew it in his owne. Griefe is the childe of Griefe, and Teares are seldome procreated but by Teares: and there­fore as the Poet saith,

[Page 82]
Malè si manda [...]a loquetur,
Aut dormitabo, aut ridebo:
If with bad vttrance he his part disgrace,
Or sleepe I will, or floute him to his face.

For where there is a want of this conueniency, what other effect can possibly be produced but laughter & contempt?

Romani tollent equites, pedites (que) cachinnum.
The nobler Crue, and eke the baser Croude,
Will burst their Spleens, with laughing ouer-loude.

Hee must not stuffe it with words of a prodigious great­nes, such as the Poet tearmes- ampullas, & sesquipedalia ver­ba; and cannot by reason of their ouer-growne quantitie be vttered without some dangerous extension of the voi­ces instruments. Aeschynes condemned them in Demo­sthenes, Monstrosa oratio mon­strosae mentis indicium. and branded them for euer with an opprobrious marke, calling them [...], non [...], portenta, non verba: they must therefore of necessitie be auoyded. But now and then, he may easily, as occasion requireth, dispence with this. Plinie reported of a certaine Orator, because of the continued lownesse of his stile, That he offended i [...] nothing, Nihil peccat nisi quod ni­hil peccat. lib. 9. Ep. 26. but in that he did not offend. Debet enim Orator, sayth he, erigi, attolli, interdum etiam efferuescere, efferri, ac saepè ac­cedere ad praeceps. For an Orator must be erected, lifted vp; yea, sometimes he must grow hote, beare himselfe hye, and very often be readie to fall downe head-long. Tutius per plana, sed humilius, & depressius iter. It is onely for weake and crazie bodies to couet euen wayes: he that is strong and able, will make no difficultie to try his legs, sometimes euen in a rugged path, or if occasion serue, to breathe himselfe vp some hye and steepe ascent. Such as doe run, are far more apt to fall, then those that creepe; [Page 83] but these haue neuer any commendation, though they doe not fall: the others though they doe, haue alwayes some. Nam vt quasdam artes, ita eloquentiam, nihil magis quàm ancipitia commendant. For it is with Eloquence as with o­ther Artes, nothing more beautifies and sets it forth, then doubtfull and ambiguous accidents. Wee see what cla­mours, and what cryes resound throughout the Theater, when those that walke there vp the ropes, stand capring safely on the top, scorning the danger, which euery loo­ker on fully presum'd they would haue falne into. Those things are alwayes most admired, which are least expe­cted, and cannot be performed but with exceeding ha­zard.

He must not confound those things which are of a soa­ring and loftie straine, with those that are altogether full of winde and tumour; nor censure that as hyperbolicall, which well considered, is but round and full. Whatsoeuer ouerpeereth, and is eminent in any thing, may easily be dis­cerned: but we must weigh with iudgement and with rea­son, immodicum sit an grande; altum an enorme.

He must with all dexteritie enterveine it with the choi­cest ornaments that either words or sentences can pos­sibly afford, Ne sutorem quidem, said Agesilaüs, probum pu­tem, qui par­vo pedi mag­num circum­det calceum; when one cō ­mended a Rhe­torician to him for his facultie, in making a great matter of a little. Plut. and beautifie it as far as the subiect whereof he treateth will beare, with Tropes and Metaphors, and o­ther such rhetoricall decencies. For he that would offer to draw Hercules his shooe vpon the foot of a child, deser­ueth no other recompence or hire, then laughter and de­rision for his paines. Let him herein therefore, like a cun­ning workeman, fashion his garments according to the making and proportion of him that is to weare them. Let not his speech be either exiliter exanimata, or as Tullie saith, gravius inslata & anhelata; but in all things as neere as may be correspondent to his argument.

Hor. Art. Poët.
Nec dum vitat humum, nubes, & inania captet.

But there is notwithstanding a certaine kinde of Am­plification consisting both in words and sentences, which [Page 84] may be vsed with commendation, when we would ex­toll, aggrauate, or make worse the matters that are in question. The Greekes haue called it [...], because the tearmes, by which it is exprest, do far surmount the great­nes of the thing. For they are either significant, or weigh­tie, and fill the minde: as when to make both Crime and Criminell the more detestable; in stead of the Genus, we alleage the Species; and whereas he did but hurt, affirme that he did kill: or secondly, they be forcible and violent of sound, and fill the eares of those that heare them; or thirdly they be full and round, and fill both their eares and mindes; or last of all, the better to make impression, they be tropicall, and figuratiue: but these are neuer to be vsed, vnlesse it be for necessitie sake, when the proper word is wanting; or when, though it be extant, it is not altogether so expressiue and significant; or for ornament sake; or last of all for honestie, as when the proper word is such as cannot be heard, or vttered, but with a blushing and bashfull countenance; for all vnsauourines of speech must vtterly be auoyded. Salust: in Cicer: Saepè grauius offendunt Auditorum animosij, qui aliena flagitia apertè dixerunt, quam ij, qui commi­serunt.

Hitherto belong all attributes and epithetes, which are nothing else but Adiectiues, borrowed eyther from the minde, or from the bodie, or extrinsecally from fortune, and fitly added to some Substantiue, to which they haue the like relation that sawces haue to meates, and must therefore neuer be applyed but very sparingly. Aristotle condemn'd the writings of Alcidamas, Rhetor: lib: 3. cap: 3. as being [...], frozen, and ridiculous, by reason of his fond & foolish affectation. [...]. For he vseth not his Epithetes, saith he, as sawces, but as meates. True Eloquence is graue, and Matron-like in her behaui­our; the apparell which she weares is glorious, but not gawdie; it is comely, as well as costly: She loues not to be deckt with pide inuentions, like a Courtisan; nor will [Page 85] she fashion her selfe according to those Indians, who not content to weare Eare-rings in such place of the eares as is most naturall, and conuenient, thrust Iewels through their nose and lips, because they will be sure to be fine.

To this same Auxesis or Augmentation, is opposed Exte­nuation, which is a lessening, or diminishing of whatso­euer is obiected, or propounded; as when in defensorie pleas we make a Diminutiue of a Primitiue; or leauing the Species, haue recourse to the Genus, and in stead of stea­ling, name taking; in stead of wounding, touching. There is another kinde of Diminution, which in regarde it pro­ceedes from Modestie, is counted Ethicall, and is included in a Negatiue. The Souldier to free himselfe from all sus­picion of vaine-glory, which through an open profession of his worth, he might haue easily incurred, gaue out, That hee was not vnexercised in deedes of armes, nor ill experienced in Martial discipline. And indeede the Negatiue is the same sometimes with an Affirmatiue, as when for the auoyding of Tau [...]ologie, or the often repetition of one and the same word, wee say, Hee knoweth this, and is not ignorant of that: sometimes againe, it importeth lesse, as in this; Hospes quo­niā nec malus, nec imprudēs vir esse videris, &c. where because he was a stranger, & vnknowne, it was thought sufficient curtesie to beare a charitable opinion & cōceit of his de­seruings, not attributing any vertue absolutely vnto him, for feare his after-carriage might falsifie the report: and sometimes more; as when Homer speaking of Achilles, when he beheld the messengers, which were come by A­gamēnons appointment to fetch his louely Brisis from him, in stead of saying, hee was wondrous sad, relates, he was not very glad. But this may peraduenture seeme a little besides the line, and be condemned as nothing pertinent or proper to the thing in hand, and therefore I will leaue it, and returne.

As in the composition, so likewise in the selection and choyce of words, hee must not be too curious or precise; [Page 86] Cura verborum derogat affectibus fidem, Quintil: lib. 9. cap. 3. & vbicun (que) ars osten­tatur, veritas abesse videtur. Too great an affectation of them, argueth a light affection in the minde: and Truth is often thought to bee away, where Art is so predominant. Passions, if legitimate and vnfained, of what nature soeuer they be, can hardly fashion themselues to any Dialect, but their owne. Their speeche is seldome of any long conti­nnance, but full of breakings and imperfect periods. The heart contendeth with the tongue for to expresse it selfe, but cannot finde the meanes: which Petrarke hauing disco­uered in him selfe, ingenuously crieth out;

Part: 1. Son: 138.
I veggi' hor bien, che caritate accesa,
Lega la lingua altrui, gli spirti invola.
Chi può dir com' egl'arde, e'n picciol fuoco.
Now well I see, that true enkindled loue
The tongue doth binde, the spirites doth remoue.
Hee that hath wit, and words to tell his heat,
May feele some warmth, but sure his flame's not great.

Let him therefore, the better to procure beliefe, make vse of such as may seeme like Voluntaries; of themselues, and without pressing, or constraint, to follow the leading of his Meditations, and marshall them with such dexteri­tie, that they may no way preiudice that feeling apprehen­sion, which he hath of what he is to treate.

For the auoyding of prolixitie, then which nothing is more distastefull to a iudicious Auditorie, let him so or­der and contriue his speech, digesting the whole into sun­dry parts, and allotting to euery one their seuerall points, with such conueniencie, vt saepe incipere, saepe desinere videa­tur; and that the Reader, if chance it were committed to writing, wheresoeuer hee should beginne, wheresoeuer he should ende, might finde it in all things so coherent, that reading where he left, he might thinke he began anew; so [Page 87] that notwithstanding hee seeme long and tedious in the vniuersall, Genus dicēdi secutus est Augustus e­legas & tem­peratum, vi­tatis senten­tiarū ineptijs, incōcinnitate, & recondito­rūverborum, vt ipse dicere solebat; foeto­ribus. Sueto: Sect: 86, He did rebuke M. Antony for writing so that men might ra­ther wonder at him, then con­ceiue him. And cōmending in a certaine Epi­stle the wit and apprehēsion of Agrippina his Neece, Opus est da­re te operam, (saith hee) ne molestè scribas, aut loquaris: ib. in vita Aug: hee may bee counted briefe in the particu­lars.

Let him not thinke to grace his stile, by cloathing it in the worme-eaten habit of decay'd Antiquitie; but alwayes vtter his Conceites in the best knowne, and most receiued phrase, and in all things (as I saide before) labour to bee both plausible and perspicuous.

Hor: lib: 2. Epi: 2.
Audebit quaecun (que) parum splendoris habebunt,
Et sine pondere erunt, & honore indigna ferentur,
Verba mouere loco; quam vis inuita recedant:
Obscurata diu populo bonus eruet, at (que)
Proferet in lucem speciosa vocabula rerum,
Quae priscis memorata Catonibus, at (que) Cethegis,
Nunc situs informis premit, & deserta vetustas:
Adsiscet noua, quae genitor produxerit vsus:
Vehemens, & liquidus, puro (que) simillimus amni,
Fund [...]t opes, patriam (que) beabit diuite lingua.
Luxuriantia compescet, nimis aspera sano
Laeuabit cultu; virtute caerentia tollet.
Slight words, and such as little splendour haue,
Or by their worth, for honour cannot craue,
He shall with boldnes from their place remoue,
Though loth they seeme such Censure to approue.
Vnto the people he (good man) shall showe
Such as were long obscur'd, as none did knowe;
And bring to light the specious names of things,
Which practis'd were in time of ancient Kings:
Now buryed lye vnder th'oppressing rage
Of ill-shapt hoarynesse and forlorne age.
New shall he get, which Vse hath made of worth,
And like a Riuer streame his riches forth
In a swift course, but cleare and pure the while,
Gracing his Countrey with a wealthy stile.
Such as doe riot, he shall curbe, restraine,
And make the rougher of a smoother graine;
But from his writings he shall banish quite,
Such as are bankroute of all force and might.

Last of all, let him adorne it with sentences of sundrie kindes; De Orat: lib: 1. For without these, whatsoeuer can be saide, hath but a hollowe and an emptie sounde: Nihil tam furio­sum, (saith Tullie) quàm verborum vel optimorum, vel or­natissimorum sonitus inanis, nulla subiecta sententia, nec Sci­entia.

Let him fitly therefore enterlace it with such orna­ments, as learning can afforde; that by so doing, no Eupolis may Censure or condemne him to bee [...], Or, (as Salust saith) Loquacem magis quam facundum; a good talker, but a badde spea­ker; or call him as Homer did Thersites, [...], a witlesse and immoderate powrer forth of words. Iliad: β

These are the soule of Speech, and in these all the strength and vigour of it doth consist: for being beauti­fied with these, it seemes maiesticall and graue, and is enabled to make a deepe impression in the hearts and mindes of such as heare it; whereas without these it is altogether dull, and serues but as an Antike motion, to moue the laughter of the vulgar.

CHAP. XV. Of Sentences tending to the beautifying of the Stile; their seuerall kindes, and appli­cations: with the Authors Apologie; ser­uing for a Conclusion to the whole.

A Sentence is a briefe but generall Enun­ciation, concerning those things, which belong to life and ciuill conuersation. It eyeth not the Individuall, so much as the Vniuersall; and cannot well be vsed, but where there is Election and choyce of action. It is first of all, either Simple; as this, Pleasures the seldomer they be vsed, the more they are to be commended: or it is compoun­ded; as heere, Such is the nature and condition of an vnsteddie multitude, that it estimateth nothing according to truth, most things according to opinion. Secondly, it is positiuely true: as when we say, Religiosissimum esse Dei cultum, imitari; that Imitation is the most religious kinde of worship: or it is onely probable; as when we doe affirme, that Speech is the liuely Character of the Heart: and that Euery man resembleth the Companie, which he keepeth: or it is Hyperbolicall, and con­taineth in it more then can be well beleeued by a vulgar apprehension: as, Omnes sapientes sunt liberi; There is no wise man but is free. Thirdly, it is hortatorie, or dehortatorie: as in the two last verses of this Epigramme; which by reason of the elegancie thereof, I haue heere inserted whole.

Vita [...]uae faciunt beatiorem,
Mart: lib. 10. Epigr: 47.
Iucundissime Martialis, haec sunt;
Res non parta labore, sed relicta;
Non ingratus ager, focus perennis,
Lis nunquam, toga rara, mens quieta,
Vires ingenuae, salubre corpus,
Prudens simplicitas pares amici,
Conuictus facilis, sine arte mensa;
Nox non ebria, sed soluta curis;
Non tristis torus, attamen pudicus;
Somnus, qui faciat breues tenebras:
Quod sis esse v [...]lis, nihil (que) malis;
Summum nec metuas diem, nec optes.
The things that make mans life more happie seeme,
Are these, delightfull Martiall, as I deeme:
Wealth not by labour got, but left by Will;
A fruitfull field, a fier burning still;
Meane clothes, no strife the mindes rest to confound;
In different strength, a body firme, and sound;
Warie Simplicitie and equall friends;
An easie Diet, which no art commends;
The Night not drunke, yet loose and free from care;
The bed not sad, though chaste beyond compare;
Sleepe, which may make the longest darkes but short,
(Neuer disturb'd with Thoughts of worldly sort).
Be still well-pleas'd, to be that which thou art,
And let thy choyce affect no greater part;
Feare not the day, which must thy life vp-summe,
Nor wish the same before the time doe come.

Liv: lib: 5. Decad. 5.Fourthly, it is Enunciatiue: as, In secundis rebus nihil in quenquam superbè, ac violenter consulere decet, nec praesenti cre­lere fortunae, cùm quid vesper ferat incertus sis. A man should not saith Liuie in prosperitie determine any thing either violently, or proudly against an other, considering that he is vncertaine what the Euening may bring with it. Fiftly, as Aristotle teacheth vs, it is either [...] without a reason, Rhetor: lib: cap: 22. being plaine enough of it selfe, and easie to be pre­sently vnderstood: as in this of Virgills, [Page 91]Nulla Fides, pietas (que) viris, qui castra sequuntur.’ Or [...], with some reason, either going before, or immediately following after: as, Mortalis cùm sis, inimi­citras immortales ne geras; Let not thy hatred be immor­tall, when thou thy selfe art otherwise. Sixtly and last­ly, it consisteth either of proper words; as, Vnicus Dei cul­tus est, non esse malum: The onely worshipping of God, is not to be a sinner; or it is Tropicall: as here;

Now strike your sailes, yee iolly Mariners,
For we be come vnto a quiet rode,
Spencer, Fa: Qu: lib 1. Cant: 12.
Where we must land some of our Passengers,
And light this weary Vessell of her lode.

As likewise in that of Maro's;

Sed nos immensum spacijs confecimus aequor,
Georgie: lib. 2. 1.
Et iam tempus equûm fumantia soluere colla.

Which I will here applie vnto my selfe, as intending now to take a Fare-well of my Douely-Serpent; commending him to the conduct and protection of his mildest starres: with this Apologie, to such as shall embrace him in his trauailes; that I haue not fashioned him, as Tullie did his Orator, in so hye a degree of perfection, that the reach of mans wisedome is no way able to attaine vnto it. No, there is not any thing required heere, but paines and in­dustrie may easily effect. Yea, many (amongst which, my selfe may happely be one) which seeme of such a slender capacitie, that ‘Boeotum in crasso iurares aëre natos,’ cease not by daily imployments to become fit to vnder­goe great things. Plin: lib: 6. Epist. 29. Video (saith Plinie the second) multos [Page 92] paruo ingenio, literis nullis, vt bene agerent agendo consecutos.

Antisthenes perswaded the Athenians one day to busie their Asses as well as their horses in the tillage of their grounde. Wherevpon they answered him; that such crea­tures were neuer made for any such purpose. That is all one, replyed he; it lyeth but in your will: For the most ignorant, and most vncapable men, that are employed by you in the commandements of your warres, let not to be­come most worthy, by being imployde by you. It is in Action, as it is in Speech, Vsus & est, & habetur optimus vtrius (que) Magister: Penelopen ip­sam perstes, modo tempo­re vinces: Capta vides serò Perga­ma, capta ta­men. Practise both is, and must bee still ac­counted the best and truest Schoole-maister of both.

Wherefore let no man alter his intended course, for a­nie false surmised difficultie or tediousnesse in the way.

Inuia virtuti nulla est via. And it is an excellent Motto, and which becommeth well the at­chieuements of a generous Spirit, ‘Non iuuat ex facili lecta corona iugo.’

FINIS.

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